The manager of the Kaohsiung Steelers yesterday declined to say whether the team had initiated contact with Jeremy Lin following the former NBA star’s announcement that he was leaving the Chinese Basketball Association (CBA), but added that any team would jump at any chance to strengthen their roster.
Earlier in the day, Lin wrote on Instagram that he is to leave the CBA, where he is playing for the Guangzhou Loong Lions.
“It wasn’t an easy decision,” he wrote. “I still love the game of basketball and look forward to getting back to the court one day.”
Photo: AP
For his next step, the 34-year-old point guard said he plans to return to the US to “rest and reset before I make a decision with my family.”
Chinese media have speculated that Lin might make a move to Taiwan’s P.League+ to join the struggling Steelers.
The Kaohsiung team have had a rough start to their season, losing all but one of their 12 games.
In search of a shake-up, the team earlier this month signed former NBA player Viacheslav Kravtsov.
On Monday, they announced that they had released Manny Harris and Terrence Jones from their contracts, leaving Kravtsov, Femi Olujobi and Aaron Harrison as the team’s three imported players — the maximum allowed to play in a game under league rules.
If signed, it is unclear whether Lin would be classified as a local or imported player.
Asked whether the team would pursue a deal with Lin, Steelers general manager Kenny Kao declined to respond.
However, he did say that when a team’s performance is lacking, if there is any opportunity to improve, “I believe that not only us, but any team would look to up their game.”
Kao said that the Steelers need “a lot of help.”
“If there is any practical way to improve our performance, we will definitely all strive to achieve it,” he added.
P.League+ founder and chief executive officer Charles “Blackie” Chen commented on Lin’s post, wishing him the best.
Since signing with Guangzhou in September, Lin has played seven games averaging 11.6 minutes, 6.9 points, 2.3 rebounds and 2.1 assists per game.
This was his third season in the CBA, following two seasons with the Beijing Ducks.
The New Taipei Kings in August signed Lin’s younger brother, Joseph Lin, in what many speculated was a move designed to attract Jeremy Lin.
Joseph Lin has been playing in Taiwan since 2015, initially with the Taipei Fubon Braves of the Super Basketball League before signing with the Kings.
Jeremy Lin in his post indicated that he would have news soon on his future in the game.
“When I have a decision, I will be sure to let everyone know,” he wrote, adding: “Much love.”
A seven-year-old horse had to be euthanized on Friday after breaking its back on the final fence of a Grand National steeplechase race that it won despite sustaining the serious injury. It follows the death of four horses at the Cheltenham Festival last month — including one after the prestigious Gold Cup. Gold Dancer was competing in the Mildmay Novices’ Chase during Ladies Day at Aintree’s Grand National Festival. The horse managed to cross the finish line approximately four lengths ahead of runner-up Regent’s Stroll. “The winner of our second race of the day, Gold Dancer, was pulled up after
Hans Niemann declares he would become a “stone cold killer” in a Netflix documentary released on Tuesday about his feud with five-time classical world champion Magnus Carlsen, a pledge that injects new edge into the lingering fallout from the cheating scandal that shook elite chess. “I’m gonna be a stone cold killer the rest of my life,” the US’ Niemann says in the film. “I’m going to become the best player in the world, and no one is going to believe that now, but this clip will play over and over again in 10 years — just wait.” “I just
The Daredevils yesterday took eight catches in the final as they eked out a victory in the Taiwan Cricket Triangular Tournament against PCCT at Yingfeng Cricket Ground in Taipei’s Songshan District. PCCT’s batting lineup collapsed after they asked the Daredevils to bowl in the T20 decider of the weekend tournament that also involved the Formosa Cricket Club. PCCT were bundled out for 76 in 16.2 overs against a disciplined Daredevils attack. Shahzad Khan was the top scorer in the innings with 21, but he was among those who offered chances to the fielders. Shane Ferreira and Jason Cameron took three wickets each, with
OBJECTIVE REACHED: ’Now for us, it’s about getting healthy, making sure everybody is ready to go, and we can ramp up,’ the Atlanta Hawks’ C.J. McCollum said after the game The Atlanta Hawks on Friday secured an NBA playoff berth with a 124-102 victory over the Cleveland Cavaliers as the Boston Celtics locked up the Eastern Conference second seed with a lopsided win of their own. C.J. McCollum scored a game-high 29 points for the Hawks, who came into the contest at sixth in the East and still in danger of falling into the play-in tournament that would see the seventh-through 10th-placed teams battle for the last two playoff berths in each conference. Nickeil Alexander-Walker and Jalen Johnson scored 18 points apiece, and Dyson Daniels added a triple-double of 13