UPDATE (6/23/16):
According to Marc Stein of ESPN, Lin will decline his player option and become a free agent.
Facing a Wednesday deadline, Charlotte' guard Jeremy Lin let his $2.2 million option for next season pass and becomes a free agent July 1
— Marc Stein (@ESPNSteinLine) June 23, 2016
(Original story from 6/7/16):
As expected, Jeremy Lin will be declining his player option, according to Chris Haynes of Cleveland.com.
The Charlotte Hornets point guard had a player option worth $2.2 million but thoroughly outplayed that value over the course of the last season. He will now be able to test free agency in search of a bigger contract and potentially a starting job.
Playing on his fifth team in six years, Lin found tremendous success as a backup behind Kemba Walker and an occasional starter. The point guard averaged 11.7 points, 3.2 rebounds, and 3.0 assists per game playing just over 26 minutes in each contest.
Lin’s play was crucial for stability on the Hornets’ bench but also provided some spacing and extra playmaking for the starters when he was paired with Walker in the backcourt.
Lin has stated he would like to be back in Charlotte next season and the Hornets could still use his services coming off of a playoff season. That said, there may be several teams looking for point guards, especially starting-level ones, who offer a more sizable deal to Lin. Lin may be better suited in the role he has as a reserve, but he is a talented player and having a good point guard is more important than ever in the NBA.
Jeremy Lin’s free agency will certainly be an interesting one but ultimately, the most likely scenario is that he returns to Charlotte on a long-term deal.
