As free agency madness approaches, don't forget about Jeremy Lin.
The star of a brief state of NBA euphoria known as "Linsanity, Lin opted out of his contract with the Charlotte Hornets, according to the Charlotte Observer, forgoing a $2.2 million player option to explore unrestricted free agency.
It was an anticipated move that could net Lin an eight-figure deal because the NBA salary cap expanded by a third and the point guard market isn't particularly deep. He may be able to get as much as $12 million to up his career earnings beyond $40 million.
Lin will hold meetings in Palo Alto, Calif., with three clubs, according to ESPN's Chris Broussard.
Last season Lin averaged 11.7 points on 41.2 percent shooting, 33.6 from beyond the arc, and chipped in three assists per game as a reserve for the Hornets.
Among the suitors could be the New York Knicks, with whom Lin broke onto the NBA scene in dramatic fashion.
"It's not looking likely, because they just traded for Derrick Rose," Lin said at the World Economic Forum in China. "But I will say, ever since I left I've been open to going back, and I still am. Never say never. That's the one thing in the NBA: Never say never. So I've always been open. But right now, I'm not sure it's the best timing. But if it happens, it happens."
