Should Lakers Bring Back Jeremy Lin?

With Jeremy Lin playing better basketball as of late, should the LA Lakers bring back the 26-year-old point guard next season?

Jeremy Lin has not always covered himself in glory since joining the Los Angeles Lakers via trade in the summer of 2014. Playing next to Kobe Bryant proved to be a challenge for the 26-year-old, and his worst night came against his hometown Golden State Warriors on Nov. 16 when he finished with zero points in 22 minutes.

For the first 20 games of the season, Lin started every game and averaged 11.9 points, 4.9 assists and 2.8 rebounds in 29.8 minutes per game. Although Lin shot 46 percent from the field, he turned the ball over 2.7 times per game and never quite looked comfortable next to Bryant in the backcourt.

Lin's move to the bench did not exactly instill confidence in the point guard, and his play suffered. In his first 33 games off the pine, Lin's production and minutes dipped. Lin averaged only 8.9 points to go along with 4.2 assists and 2.2 rebounds per game. In only 22.2 minutes per game, the point guard averaged 2.1 turnovers per game as a backup for Ronnie Price and, later, for rookie Jordan Clarkson.

Entering the All-Star break with the Lakers stumbling to a 13-40 record, Lin did not look like a guy the Lakers would look to re-sign. However, a week off provided the Torrance-born kid new perspective on his basketball life. Following the break, Lin looks like the player the Lakers hoped for when they made the trade to acquire him.

In the five games following the break, Lin is averaging 17.0 points, 5.0 assists and 2.8 rebounds per game. Adding to the growth in stats, Lin is averaging 0.6 turnovers per game and has yet to commit more than one statistical error in a game.

To reward Lin's improved production and efficiency, Lakers coach Byron Scott provided the Harvard graduate with added minutes, especially in the fourth quarter.

"The ball is given to me basically every possession of the fourth quarter," Lin said after Sunday's loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder. "I'm the quarterback of everything going on. Wasn't able to get the job done."

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While Lin did not lead LA to victory on Sunday, his 20 points, eight assists and six rebounds helped LA keep the scoreline respectable. In two of the Lakers' last four games, Lin has been the best player of the team. Lin probably made that case twice in the first 50 games of the season. However, if he manages to continue on this level of form, the Lakers may start thinking the point guard may be worth bringing back next season.

If Lin can quarterback the Lakers down the stretch and show consistency for the final 24 games, the Lakers may be wise to bring back Lin, even if it is only to play in a backup role. If nothing else, Lin is about the only Lakers' point guard not to get injured over that past three years.

While not alone in playing for his future, Lin has been afforded a rare opportunity of playing point guard for the Lakers down the stretch. How he handles the extra pressure and responsibility should determine if Scott and the Lakers want Lin around beyond the current season.

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