Kemba Walker was sad to see Jeremy Lin leave the Charlotte Hornets for the Brooklyn Nets. But he’s also happy for the opportunity bestowed upon his former teammate.
As Walker told the Charlotte Observer‘s Rick Bonnell:
Walker has very mixed emotions about Lin signing with the Brooklyn Nets.
“I hate to see him go, but at the same time I’m definitely happy for him,” Walker said. “He deserves to be a starter in this league. He’s such a great player and he proved that last season. There were games where I was off and he carried the team.”
Lin indeed proved uniquely valuable to the Hornets last season, capitalizing on a vast a array of drives and pick-and-rolls. His jumper was still shaky as always, but his defense improved a great deal under Hornets coach Steve Clifford, even though it’s still not totally good. Plus, his fundamental value as a driver was on full display. He enjoyed freedom in Charlotte he didn’t have with the Los Angeles Lakers or Houston Rockets after leaving the New York Knicks.
The big challenge for Lin is carrying that momentum over to the Nets. He won’t have as many weapons in Brooklyn, though the pick-and-roll synergy between he and Brook Lopez should be effortless. Still, he will see tougher looks and defensive assignments. He is, essentially, Brooklyn’s featured option, even if his primary responsibility is to defer.
Which makes Lin’s move to Brooklyn both an opportunity and obstacle—a balancing act he hasn’t face roughly half a decade.
