It's going to be an interesting summer for Jeremy Lin. Perhaps it will give him time to relax and take stock after a few crazy few months.
His agent announced this week that Lin, who made global headlines with a series of sensational performances for the New York Knicks basketball team in February, will visit Taiwan and then head out for an Asian tour.
Lin is of Taiwanese descent and hasn’t yet visited the island since becoming a genuine sports star.
He will host a basketball camp in Taipei at the end of August.
“Lin will come with several coaches so that young basketball players in Taiwan will have the chance of taking an NBA-level training course,” a statement issued by his agent said.
Fans of the Knicks won’t really care about that, what they really want to know is whether the player will be around next season.
Lin, whose rise from obscurity became known as “Linsanity” (Lin now owns the trademark to that term) due to the international coverage it received, will be a free agent in July and the team are reportedly keen to sign him up once again.
The point guard was spotted by celebrity website TMZ having dinner with coach Mike Woodson
From this weekend, Lin will be a restricted free agent. That means that while any team can bid for Lin, the club he plays for has the right to match that offer and keep him.
Coach Woodson intends to do just that, so most expect the player to be in action at Madison Square Garden on a regular basis.
“Absolutely he’s going to be back,’’ Woodson said according to the New York Post.
“We like what he brings to the table. He’s our starting point guard. He’s a young point guard who’s still learning, and he’s going to be better. That’s what happens to good, young players. If they work at their craft, they’ll be much better for it. Absolutely, he wants to be here.’’
Interestingly, Lin has just changed his agent, a move seen as helping him get as good a deal as possible. According to ESPN, Lin is expecting to stay at the Knicks for three more years and receive between $3 million and $5 million a year.
The insanity may have receded, but a solid career may very well lie ahead.