[Soulrebel15Participant]

http://www.nypost.com/p/sports/knicks/on_guard_jiAzrat7HTOQxDJmIuQ8FP

By MARC BERMAN

Free agency is 5 1/2 weeks away, but Jeremy Lin’s agent already is setting the groundwork for what could be a complicated negotiation.

Roger Montgomery, in a rare interview, told The Post nothing is assured regarding Lin’s Knicks future, despite interim coach Mike Woodson’s declaration the global phenom — who becomes a restricted free agent on July 1 — would “absolutely’’ return.

When asked if he expects the Knicks negotiation to be cut-and-dried, Montgomery forewarned: “I don’t expect that. We’re not anticipating that’s going to happen. We don’t have assurances of anything. I know history shows most restricted free agents go back to their team, but I’m not going to assume anything. We’re waiting to see what happens.’’

Montgomery’s emphatic remarks — coupled with Lin’s “nothing’s set in stone’’ comment on Trash Bag Day — seem to be strategic messaging.

There is a possibility the Knicks will force Lin, 24, and his reps to find the point guard’s market value by first signing an offer sheet from another team, which must project Lin’s potential from a 26-game window when he played starter’s minutes.

Lin, who made $762,000 this season, also must find a club that feels the Knicks won’t match the offer. The good news for Montgomery is in the new collective bargaining agreement, teams have just three days to match an offer, less than the prior seven-day window that hamstrung teams.

Montgomery must create the impression the Knicks are not locks to retain Lin to spur teams to present an offer sheet. A source confirmed Toronto, which has a large Chinese population, will be one suitor.

The Knicks ultimately control Lin’s destiny because they cannot be outbid. And if the Players Association wins its arbitration hearing and restores Lin’s early Bird rights, it is a virtual certainty the Knicks will match any offer because the Bird exception means teams can exceed the salary cap to re-sign players.

That would allow the Knicks to keep their $5 million mid-level exception to sign a solid, veteran point guard from a list that starts with Steve Nash but also includes Jameer Nelson, Andre Miller, Ramon Sessions, Lou Williams and Raymond Felton.

A source said the arbitration hearing date will be set this week. If the union loses and the Knicks need their $5M mid-level exception to re-sign Lin, it could get trickier.

Under the CBA, teams under the cap — such as Toronto — can offer Lin the league’s average salary of about $5M for the first two years, then jack the third and fourth years to the maximum of $15 million. The club is permitted to do so only if it is far enough below the cap to take in the average wage of Lin’s four-year offer. Such a “back-loaded offer’’ causes concerns for the Knicks, who by the third year of Lin’s contract would be well over the luxury-tax apron of $74 million, costing them a heavy tax and their full mid-level exception as a taxpayer.

However, the financial boon of having Lin as a Knick for the next four years may be too sweet to consider future luxury-tax penalties. The Knicks’ merchandising in the U.S. and Asia may go through the roof as owner James Dolan looks to recoup the $850 million he invested into the Garden transformation. Lin’s No. 17 jersey was the second-biggest seller in the NBA for the year despite only being available from February on.

On the basketball side, Lin plays the position at which the Knicks are neediest. If they are comfortable his rehab from a torn meniscus finishes well, it will be tough for them not to match, even for their entire $5M mid-level exception.

Montgomery said Lin is in the final stages of his rehab and will head to his native Northern California soon.

“He’s doing well, trying still [to] get stronger and heal,’’ Montgomery said.

The hope is for Lin to participate in July’s Olympic training camp as a member of the U.S. Select Team that practices against Team USA. However, if he is still unsigned, that could be curtailed.

“It hasn’t been settled, but he’d be excited to do it,’’ Montgomery said.

 

 

 

[FastAndFuriousParticipant]

Lin trying to cash IN! hahaha use the Knicks as a stepping stool and get outta there!

[omphalosParticipant]

If Lin is as smart as his degree would indicate he wouldn’t try to get the most money he can from a deal for 3 reasons;

1) Taking a reasonable deal to stay with the Knicks will ease the pressure of quickly being dubbed "overpaid" once people realise he can’t keep up that pace for a whole season.

2) Lin is such a marketable player that just my staying in New York he could still make more money than from a better contract with other teams.

3) Taking a smaller deal gives the Knicks more cap room to surround him with a deeper team, and give him a bigger chance of success.

[NYK2010Participant]

Knicks have cap room unless they trade Melo, Amare or Chandler which isn’t likely.

Lin isn’t going anywhere, Knicks will probably have to use their MLE on him.

So many PG’s out there anyway DWill, Nash its not like Lin is the only one.

However teams do have cap room so obviously he’ll get interest.

[The Scare Crow RisesParticipant]

Lin isnt’ playing basketball because he loves to play the game people, he’s also in it for the Money

It’s hard out there for anyone even a Harvard graduate, he need’s to take the QO and get the biggest pay day next year

I think he has to get out of New York City to kept up his High Profile, The Big Apple can be a huge launch pad but if you stay too long and don’t produce like The New Yorkers expect he could be burned by the bright lights and high expectations(see Amare and Melo) 

[joshinator1Participant]

 You know what I just thought of, the Knicks are probably going to try and get Nash, or a higher profile point guard than Lin and Lin will just be waiting because I think he will be loyal to the Knicks and even stay for less than the MLE, if they wait to long he will go  somewhere else

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