NBA Rumors: Does Jeremy Lin Make Rockets More Appealing?

To an extent, yes. Lin is a global icon and will undoubtedly generate an absurd amount of revenue for a Rockets team who is no stranger to housing global icons—again, see Yao Ming.

But does Lin make the Rockets contender? Not at all.

The more important question here is, does he make Houston a more appealing destination for prospective stars, like say Dwight Howard? Is he polarizing enough to help convince a player of Howard’s caliber and stubbornness that Houston is the place to continue his career for more than a season?

As talented as Lin may be, the answer here is also no.

He is not the type of player that is going to convince Howard to remain in Houston on a long term contract, nor is he the type of player that will cause unhappy stars to force their way to the Rockets. Not right now anyway.

As incredibly fulfilling as Linsanity was—and still is—Lin remains vastly unproven. Until he can prove to the league, and the world, that he’s a bona fide superstar, other, more established stars won’t be inclined to join him.

Lin can attack the rim and dish the rock, but can he adjust to defensive schemes that are clearly adjusting to him? Can he keep his turnovers to a minimum? And will his knee hold up over the course of a full 82 games?

That’s what the Rockets and Lin are tasked with now, ensuring that he becomes a proven star, one that can not only lead his respective team, but also instill the desire for other players to become part of it.

So, does Jeremy Lin make the Rockets seem more appealing?

To the common fan, the diehard fan and any soul who relishes in the existence of underdog stories, yes.

But to, let’s say, Dwight Howard?

Absolutely not.