The Jeremy Lin era with the Nets was short-lived and oddly unfulfilling thanks to injuries that limited him to only 37 games over two seasons before he was traded to Atlanta early Friday morning. The Nets made the move to clear room to take on two substantial salaries from the Nuggets, but that deal is not expected to become official until early next week
In making the official announcement of the Lin deal, the Nets said they also sent a 2025 second-round pick to the Hawks and the right to swap 2023 second-round picks. In return, they received draft rights to French prospect Isaia Cordinier and a protected 2020 second-round pick from the Hawks.
"We would like to thank Jeremy for all of his contributions to the Nets organization both on and off the court the past two seasons and wish him much success as he moves forward with his basketball career," Nets general manager Sean Marks said in a prepared statement.
Lin is scheduled to make $12.5 million in the final year of a three-year deal worth $36 million. He suffered a season-ending injury when he ruptured a patella tendon in the opener last season but has recovered fully and been cleared for contact.
Moving Lin's contract gave the Nets the room they needed to acquire veteran power forwards Kenneth Faried and Darrell Arthur from the Nuggets along with a 2019 first-round pick protected 1-12 and a 2020 second-round pick in exchange for guard Isaiah Whitehead, who is expected to be waived once the deal becomes official. The trade first was reported by ESPN and confirmed by Newsday via NBA sources.
Faried is in the final year of a contract that pays him $13.7 million, and Arthur is in the final year of a deal worth $7.45 million. Clearing those two off their roster saved the Nuggets $43 million in salary and luxury tax, and when they come off the Nets' books next year, it will help create an estimated $70 million in salary-cap room.
All those moves by the Nets were made with an eye toward the future. Lin had been emphatic about his desire to remain with the Nets. He was not immediately available after the news was announced and simply posted one tweet that read: "Find joy in your journey!!"
Chinese billionaire Joseph Tsai, who recently purchased a 49 percent stake in the Nets with an option to take control in three years, reacted on his Twitter account, saying, "Sean Marks kept me updated on our team's moves during the offseason. He and his team are doing terrific work to build the Nets for the long term. I love Jeremy Lin because he represents the underdog in all of us _ truly first class on and off the court ... We are great friends, and I will follow his progress no matter where he is."
