The Philadelphia brass may have a rooting interest in where LeBron James signs this off-season. No, not because he could be coming to Philadelphia nor because the Sixers are looking to compete with Miami this year, but because of the other dominoes it knocks down.
Liberty Ballers is reporting that the 76ers and Houston Rockets have reached an agreement to send Jeremy Lin to the Sixers. It’s just an other domino in a long run of pieces set to fall when the first and heavy one, LeBron James, decides on his new team.
Here’s how the links are made: if James leaves, Bosh likely does too and accepts Houston’s max contract offer. That would require the Rockets to free up cap space and Jeremy Lin’s salary of $15 million (8.37 million cap hit), which is a very steep cost for a guy that is now a bench player, would be a great candidate to move.
For over a week now, rumors have swirled to include that the Sam Hinkie can grab a first round pick from his former employer. But now, it appears they can net more in return for renting a player and serving as a waiting room for Lin’s contract.
According to Liberty Baller’s Jake Pavorsky, there may be a third piece coming to Philadelphia as part of the package. At least one first rounder seems to definitely be a part of it.
Houston actually owns two first round picks for next Summer’s draft, after trading Omar Asik, who, like Lin, they signed as a restricted free agent. In exchange for Asik, they received the first round pick from New Orleans, who apparently no longer like holding onto their first round picks. Houston figures to be better than New Orleans, who gave the Sixers the tenth overall pick last season, so if Hinkie can have a choice, the Pelicans’ draft pick may be the preference.
