Jeremy Lin Latest: Blogs Say New LA Lakers Player Could be All-Star, Most Improved Player in 2014-15

Several blogs are saying that Jeremy Lin, fresh off a trade to the Los Angeles Lakers from the Houston Rockets, could make some big steps this year and even become an All-Star or the Most Improved Player this upcoming season.

Lin, who often plays point guard, will likely be starting in L.A., mentored by the veteran Steve Nash.

Though Lin showed some serious promise in New York, he never lived up to expectations in Houston, prompting the team to jettison him and his large contract to the Lakers and getting nothing in return.

Now Lin has a shot to become even more popular, reported Lakes How Life.

 

The blog quoted Judy Seto, the Lakers physical therapist, talking about how popular basketball is in China: “Basketball has a strong heritage in China. In some of the places in China people say ‘we have waited a lifetime for them (Lakers) to come. To have the Lakers in my country in my city is a dream come true.’ Basketball has been popular in China for a long time.”

“It is that immense popularity that may translate itself into All-Star votes for Jeremy Lin.  China has a huge voice in the makeup of the NBA All-Star team just by virtue of its residents: a billion strong. In 2011, an injured Yao Ming was voted in as a starter in the All-Star game even though his season was over. Thank you China. Kobe Bryant was voted in as an All-Star in 2014 even though he played six games. Credit China for their blind allegiance,” the blog said.

“Skating the narrow line of being an All-Star and causing chaos has always been Jeremy Lin’s burden. In 2013 he received 839,000 votes. It was 45,000 votes less than Chris Paul. Lin was relieved not to make a team he did not belong on.

“In 2014 Lin received 628,000 votes, fourth among Western Conference guards. But he had 150,000 more votes than James Harden, his own teammate who averaged 25 points a game. Lin had 311,000 more votes than Russell Westbrook. He had 370,000 more votes than Tony Parker.

“Wearing a Lakers uniform, Lin’s Chinese popularity has already skyrocketed. Asian-Americans who look at Jeremy Lin as a heroic ceiling breaker have been reenergized. For the first time in his career Jeremy Lin will play a Christmas Day game, will be seen by millions.  The access TimeWarner Cable has with the Lakers will open up opportunities for a new breed of Lin followers who don’t judge his value on stats but on what he has done to elevate Asian people in a sport where no Asian guard has ever excelled.”

Another Lakers blog, Hoops Habit, says that Lin may very well win the Most Improved Player in the 2014-15 season.

The blog says that Lin is indeed an All-Star caliber player but that the Rockets didn’t use him right–and the Lakers will.

“One of the reasons Lin was able to succeed during his time with the Knicks was that he was allowed to be himself–a playmaker who wasn’t restricted by the offense. I hear you, Laker haters–I disagree with the notion that Kobe Bryant is going to play ball stopper. Bryant isn’t the point guard and while he will certainly take the lion’s share of the shows in the halfcourt offense, he’ll also draw the lion’s share of defensive attention,” the blog said.

“The ideal situation is to let Lin do his thing while Kobe gets rest, with Jeremy going back into more of a facilitator role when Bryant comes back onto the court. The truth of the matter is, we don’t exactly know how Bryant is going to respond to his injuries. If he has to adjust his game because his explosion and lift is gone, he’ll defer more often than he has in the past.

“That’s a major win for Lin, who plays best with the ball in his hands, making plays for hsi team. As long as new head coach Byron Scott puts his faith into Lin, he’ll give the team the kind of production we all know he can. It would be a major boon for Lin if Julius Randle turns out to be a quality pick-and-pop big or at the very least, if Carlos Boozer can find the fountain of youth and start making jumpers.”

via Jeremy Lin Latest: Blogs Say New LA Lakers Player Could be All-Star, Most Improved Player in 2014-15.