Should the Knicks match Jeremy Lin’s offer sheet?

The New York Knicks have possibly their toughest decision of the off season. That decision will be to either match the offer for Jeremy Lin or let him walk.

The argument can be made that Lin’s high potential makes it necessary for the Knicks to match, but the argument can also be made that matching the offer will strip the Knicks of any future salary flexibility.

Jeremy Lin gave the Knicks his best efforts in hopes of sticking with the team last season. But this off season Lin has upset the Knicks top officials and now he may be on his way out.

Last season Lin was able to average 14.6 points per game along with 6.2 assists per game. Lin was very important for the Knicks at a time when Carmelo Anthony and Amare Stoudemire were out.

From February 4th through February 15th, Lin was able to lead the Knicks to a seven game winning streak. That streak was none as “Linsanity”. That was a very important stretch for the Knicks, whose season was looking grim. That winning streak put the Knicks back into the playoff hunt and they were able to take off from there.

First and foremost the Knicks have to match the offer sheet from the Houston Rockets. Lin is too valuable an asset to just let walk out the door.

But the Knicks are unhappy with Lin and how he has handled his free agency. The Knicks feel that Lin told some inside information to the Rockets that they felt were private. That mistake could be the end of Lin in New York. Knicks owner James Dolan loves loyalty and many feel that Lin was disloyal to the Knicks and that could be his demise in New York.

The Knicks will have until 11:59 pm on Tuesday night to match a three-year $25 million offer from the Rockets. That contract would pay Lin $5 million in the first year, $5.225 million the second year, and $14.8 million in the third year. That third year is where all the concern lies.

Matching the offer would strip the Knicks of any flexibility in 2015. That would result in the Knicks paying $75 million to just four players.

This is a very tough decision that the Knicks will have to make, but one they will have to deal with. The consequences of this decision will be large either way it’s viewed.