Jeremy Lin has an opportunity to make a name for himself this season as the Lakers' starting Point Guard.
On Thursday, Steve Nash confirmed that he would not be playing in the 2014-2015 NBA season. The veteran’s participation in games will be limited to the bench.
“Being on the court this season has been my top priority and it is disappointing to not be able to do that right now,” Nash said in a statement on Thursday.
Nash, who is finishing the last season of his three-year contract with the Lakers, is suffering from nerve damage in his back. Despite his efforts to stay healthy and keep the ball in his hands, Nash’s problematic injury cannot be overcome.
“I work very hard to stay healthy and unfortunately my recent setback makes performing at full capacity difficult. I will continue to support my team during this period of rest, and will focus on my long-term health,” he said.
The news, however, does not translate into the demise of the Lakers. Point Guard Jeremy Lin now has a higher probability of assuming a more prominent position as a starter. The 26-year-old guard has seen plenty of gameplay in his career while playing for teams such as the New York Knicks and Houston Rockets.
Lin, standing at 6’3”, was going to contribute off the bench as part of the Lakers’ second squad, but many speculate that he will now be part of the starting five. In the preseason, Lin has played 98 minutes in four preseason games and averaged 10.8 points, 6 assists, and 3.5 rebounds. Lin’s first game, however, earned him only one point, which skews his average.
These productions put Lin ahead of two other point guard options: Ronnie Price and Jordan Clarkson. Veteran Ronnie Price has been in the league for ten years and has played for five different teams. He averaged 8.2 points, 5.3 assists, and 2 rebounds in about 177 minutes throughout six preseason games. Clarkson is a rookie who has seen only 18 minutes of playing time and averaged 9 points, 3.3 rebounds, and 0.3 assists.
Hall of Fame player and former Laker, Magic Johnson, wrote on Twitter that he would like to see Lin start for the Lakers.
“Jeremy Lin is going to be a good starting PG for the Lakers w/ his ability to get in the lane and create shots for himself & his teammates.”
It is probable that Lin will begin the regular season as part of the starting five, but some believe that Lakers coach Byron Scott will leave Lin on the bench. The Lakers bench lacks in depth this year, especially in terms of scoring ability. Scott may leave Lin as part of the bench in order to bring point production throughout the game, especially since shooting guard Nick Young will be out for 8 weeks due to a recent thumb surgery.
