Brooklyn Nets: Carmelo Anthony Surprised Nets Signed Jeremy Lin
The Brooklyn Nets signed Jeremy Lin this past offseason to be their point guard, and become the face of the franchise. Lin’s former teammate Carmelo Anthony had some interesting thoughts on the subject.
The Brooklyn Nets signed Jeremy Lin to a three-year, $36 million deal to come aboard and be Kenny Atkinson‘s starting point guard.
With the Nets set to take on the New York Knicks on Saturday night, Knicks star Carmelo Anthony was asked about Lin joining the Nets.
Want your voice heard? Join the Nothin' But Nets team!
“He is the face of their franchise — believe it or not,” Anthony said, via the New York Post. “He came up, they paid him. Now the ball is in his hands. He is one of the franchise players over there. I don’t know what you want me to say about that. I’m happy for him, excited for him to see how it’s going to turn out over there.”
Lin, of course, came onto the NBA scene during “Linsanity” with the Knicks — a team that was, and still is Anthony’s. It’s well documented that various Knicks players, including Carmelo, weren’t ecstatic with Lin’s success. That, in itself, is part of what makes this awkward. Anthony made sure to say he is “happy” for Lin, but the “believe it or not” comment seems to outweigh any of the pleasantries.
More from Nothin' But Nets
In the defense of both Anthony and Lin, though, this is an old topic, as both were quick to note. “That was five, six years ago, bro,” Anthony said. “I forgot about that.”
Lin, speaking to Brian Lewis of the New York Post, offered a similar sentiment. “I don’t really know what he said. Again, [it was] five years ago, I’m not really too worried about anything.”
The topic of Lin, the Knicks, Carmelo, and any associated drama is, of course, relevant again because Lin is back in New York with the Nets. Even though Saturday’s tilt is just a preseason matchup that won’t mean anything once the regular season starts, this is a narrative that clearly hasn’t dissipated.
Lin, along with Brook Lopez, is the face of the Nets. The Knicks are a bit of a different story. They have of course added Derrick Rose and Joakim Noah, and Kristaps Porzingis is becoming a star in front of our eyes. However, the Knicks are still Anthony’s team.
Due to the proximity of these two teams and the rivalry that exists, it will be notable each time they face off. However, Brooklyn adding Lin only increases the intrigue. Carmelo Anthony may be surprised that the Nets signed Lin, but both the Nets and Lin seem thrilled with the three-year pact.