If Lin ends up in Houston. as now appears likely, I think all three parties--Lin, the Knicks and the Rockets--acted foolishly and essentially ended up biting off each of their own noses to spite their own faces. The Knicks' own negotiating incompetence lead them to telegraph their moves and put them in a position to be exposed and taken advantage of. Lin going surreptitiously to Las Vegas renegotiate and sign a new contract that made the third year essentially suicide for the Knicks was really foolish imo. Even though it guarantees him $6M more, it probably seals his fate and sends him to Houston, a worse franchise, a worse market and, well, in Houston instead of New York. Houston restructuring the contract just to stick it to the Knicks will now backfire when they are forced to accept it, and it will hinder their own flexibility just as the luxury tax penalties increase.
As much as I like the Lin story, I don't think he's a superstar, or that he has superstar potential. Not that Felton is either. But if this gives the Knicks more flexibility to get a superstar point guard--say, CP3--in the next two years, it could end up as a good thing for them at least. And if Lin and Houston really did re-do the contract as reported, at least the Knicks will have some cover to fight the inevitable backlash they will get for letting him go.
