Lin Wanted to Stay in New York, Dolan Felt "Betrayed"

Contrary to past reports that Jeremy Lin went back to the Rockets to make them aware that the Knicks were going to match their initial offer sheet, in order to jack up his asking price, the former Knicks point guard has come out stating that he wanted to return to New York.

"Honestly, I preferred New York," Lin told Sports Illustrated. "But my main goal in free agency was to go to a team that had plans for me and wanted me. I wanted to have fun playing basketball. ... Now I'm definitely relieved." ESPN.

Lin also told SI that he thought that New York would still match his contract, until the club traded for Raymound Felton.

Yahoo Sports and the New York Daily News has since reported that Knicks owner James Dolan is the main reason Linsanity is over at the Garden.

  " The decision was both financial and emotional since Garden chairman James Dolan was upset over Lin restructuring his deal with Houston last week to include a third year salary of $14.9 million. Dolan, according to sources, felt he was deceived by the 23-year-old Lin.

"Of course, team officials privately felt that Lin's actions over the past few weeks were anything but grateful. They were upset that he hired a publicist without their consent and were livid that the second-year point guard out of Harvard went back to the Rockets for more money. [...]" Yahoo Sports.

Lin also told Sports Illustrated that he received confidence from both coach Mike Woodson and Dolan that he would be back.

 "I have plans for you in the future," Lin remembers Dolan saying, according to SI. "This is a long-term investment. Don't rush back."

Now those words from Dolan have taken a complete 180, as the bumbling owner told Lin to take a hike because he felt "betrayed."

If the initial story is true that Lin tried to jack up the price, then, it's his loss. He could have been a superstar on the biggest market, and for the color of money, he decided that the biggest offer was best for him.

 If not, and it is true that Lin rather wanted to be in New York, than his agent did a horrible job in sending his client to a town and a team where nothing is going to happen for him.

That being said, if Dolan did indeed feel betrayed by Lin, and refused to sign him because he even considered signing an offer sheet, than Dolan should be ashamed of himself. Lin was the best thing to happen to the Knicks in well over a decade. He resurrected the franchise, and because Lin negotiated with Houston, which was in his right, Dolan felt a need to let him walk.

If Dolan's decision was based solely on the fact that New York could not afford to pay Lin, a guy who played in only 26 games, $25 million in guaranteed money because it would blow up their salary cap in 2014-2015, that is one thing. But, with Dolan making it personal all he did was shoot himself in the foot, especially if Lin lives up to the Houston contract. 

There are no winners here. Lin dropped the ball by running back to Houston to restructure his deal; Lin's agent dropped the ball on making his price tag ridiculously high, and Dolan dropped the ball by taking simple basketball business too personal.

 The pressure is now on the remaining players on the Knicks to get the job done. There was speculation that Carmelo Anthony wanted Lin out of the way, since he never played well with him in Mike Woodson's system. Anthony even ripped Lin, calling his contract with Houston ridiculous. J.R. Smith added that their would be problems in the clubhouse if Lin returned to New York with that contract.

So if the remaining Knicks players are so high on their own talents, and believe that they can win without Lin, now it's their chance to prove it. Last time anyone checked, the Knicks were nothing before Lin, and were nothing after Lin exited stage left with a season-ending injury.