Brooklyn Nets 2017-18 player previews: Jeremy Lin

Jeremy Lin, one of the main cogs of the Brooklyn Nets’ offense, fell to injury last season. Is this the season he reemerges?

Stats 2016-17: 14.5 PPG, 3.8 TRB, 5.1 AST, 43.8 FG%, 37.2 3PT%, 36 Games

The seven-year veteran looked like he had finally found a post-Linsanity home in the NBA. The 28-year old posted 18 points in a battle against Isaiah Thomas and the Boston Celtics in the season opener. He scored a cool 21 points and nearly had a triple-double with 9 assists and 9 rebounds in a win against the Pacers. Heck, he had a double-double and had a +/- of +11 despite a weak shooting night and four turnovers in a loss to Milwaukee.

While the days of being New York’s poster boy were gone, he looked comfortable as the head of the Nets attack.

But all it took was one strained hamstring to ruin that comfort. While Lin’s season was not completely lost, the momentum he was picking up was. Brooklyn’s momentum was gone as well. The team suffered a seven-game losing streak and went 4-13 in Lin’s absence.

Lin returned on Dec. 12, against the Houston Rockets, his former team. Lin and the Rockets have had a rocky history. While he resided in Houston longer than any of the other stops in his NBA career, Lin faced ridiculously high expectations and low output in his two seasons there. He posted a decent 10 points and seven assists against his former team. But he missed the next game the Nets played.

The Jeremy Lin comeback tour lasted seven games. He re-aggravated his left hamstring. Lin would be out for 26 games, just two weeks shy of a two month stint off the court.

While Brooklyn’s chances of reaching the playoffs were slim to start off the season, they were nonexistent as Lin began the path to rehabilitation. The Nets went on an 11 and a 14-game losing streak, just winning a single game without Lin. The season was another dud.

While some might point out that Lin was successful during the second half of the season, he missed his opportunity to mesh with the team. There were times when Lin looked lost. He was out of sync with his teammates. Without something to play for, there was no reason to jell with the team.

But that is not to say Lin won’t mesh with his team. With the Nets looking for a team leader, Lin is the natural candidate to be the voice of the locker room. He is the oldest guard on the team and has the pedigree to match.

More importantly, Lin and the Nets have something to play for this year. Brooklyn acquired much-needed talent this offseason. They finally have all the parts necessary to escape the Eastern Conference’s basement.

However, the Nets success next season rests on Lin. If he cannot remain healthy, the Nets have one of the lowest ceilings in the league. This is the Nets’ worst case scenario. As the floor general, a major Lin injury would derail the offense and place more of a burden of carrying it on D’Angelo Russell.

On the upside, Lin is coming off his most successful season statistically in the games that he did play. He posted his second-highest average points per game yet. He also had the second-lowest turnover ratio of his career.

If he can remain healthy, Lin can shine as one of the best players on the team. His career is on an upswing and he looks very comfortable in head coach Kenny Atkinson’s offense when healthy. He is set to exceed expectations, perhaps even be a fringe All-Star candidate.

Expect Lin to be healthy to start off the season. Also expect the Nets to do a lot than anticipated. The Nets could even break into the playoff picture if Lin remains healthy.

That is, however, not saying he will have another Linsanity-type season. Lin will most likely up his scoring to around 16 points per game. Also expect his assists per game to increase, thanks to the presence of three-point shooters like Allen Crabbe and DeMarre Carroll.

Next: Brooklyn Nets 2017-18 player previews: Spencer Dinwiddie

This season could be Lin’s last chance for redemption. He has faced both the lowest of lows and the highest of highs in his career. Now, he has the chance to prove that he can lead a team and once again, become the face of the franchise.