Los Angeles Lakers Rumor: Jeremy Lin Stuck On The Bench, Could Be Traded Soon
The Los Angeles Lakers have one of the more efficient point guards in the league in Jeremy Lin, who is hitting on close to 50 percent of his shots, including 47 percent from behind the three-point arc so far this year.
Only there’s one problem — the team isn’t playing him much.
Lin has the ninth most minutes on the Lakers, failing to even pass 31-year-old veteran Ronnie Price. The situation has many thinking that the Lakers will soon trade Lin for pieces that can help the post-Kobe Bryant rebuild.
Only Kelly, Black, Clarkson and Sacre have averaged less minutes than Jeremy Lin. Lin is the 3rd leading scorer in the 9th most minutes.
— Robert Sha (@Gadgetomi) January 16, 2015
In 2015 in 8 gms, Jeremy Lin is shooting 49.3% from two and 47.4% from three. He’s been rewarded by avg the 9th most minutes on the team.
— Robert Sha (@Gadgetomi) January 16, 2015
Rumors have indicated that the Los Angeles Lakers could trade Jeremy Lin before the season is over, but it may depend on what the future holds for Kobe Bryant. There is talk that the Lakers could shut down the 36-year-old guard at some point this season, preserving him for next year when team management hopes they will be more competitive.
Kobe actually seemed on board with the idea, though begrudgingly.
“I will do what they ask of me, but it’s very, very hard for me to miss one game,” Bryant said Thursday after the Lakers’ 109-102 loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers.
“I’m not going to be here much longer, so the games that I play, I want to make sure that I’m playing and enjoying it and appreciating it.”
But Lakers coach Byron Scott is adamant that neither he nor the team’s management have talked about the idea of shutting Kobe down for the year.
Whatever happens to Kobe, this season can only be considered a disappointment for Jeremy Lin. Though he initially came to the Los Angeles Lakers with the idea that he might inherit a larger role after Kobe retired, now it is not even certain that he lasts through to the end of the season.
[Image via Los Angeles Times]
