Jeremy Lin was a major bright spot for the Charlotte Hornets, coming in off the bench and providing offense and playmaking.
Lin averaged 11.7 points, 3.2 rebounds, and 3.0 assists per game for the Hornets, and helped the Hornets surprisingly take the Miami Heat to seven games in the first round of the NBA Playoffs. He signed a two-year deal with the Hornets and will reportedly opt out of the second year of his deal.
According to Rick Bonnell of the Charlotte Observer, Lin has expressed interest in returning to Charlotte.
“I would love to [return]. I don't like moving every year, I don't like packing and unpacking boxes. So we'll see. But I'm definitely interested in coming back. … This is the most fun I've had in my six years [in the NBA]. Being around a great group of guys and a coaching staff that really cares. I've learned so much about the game of basketball, particularly at the defensive end.”
In addition to his wanting to return, Lin has already made it a point that money will not be the biggest deciding factor in whether or not Lin returns, which bodes well for a Hornets team that has multiple free agency decisions to make this offseason.
“My biggest thing is I want to have fun and be happy. I've been paid on the lower end and had a blast, and I've been paid on the higher end and not enjoyed it at all.
“Honestly, money has never been the most important thing. Money is important because it shows how a team values you. But beyond that I don't care all that much about money. Me coming here [for slightly more than $2 million a season] showed that.”
Lin told Bonnell exactly why he wants to return so bad to a team that's made him feel at home.
“I definitely want to play with these guys and this coach,” Lin said, referring to Steve Clifford. “When you bounce around a lot the way I have, seeing a lot of organizations, there’s a lot about this one that I can appreciate in terms of my experience, that maybe I didn’t have in other situations.
“From the (preseason) China trip we knew this team really got along. I kind of expected there’d be bumps and bruises along the way as far as guys getting along with each other, but really there wasn’t. I’ve never seen a group of guys at the professional level (where) all the guys 1 through 15 got along together. It wasn’t uncommon for all 15 of us to do something together.
“That’s really, really rare.”
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