The Knicks are going to great lengths to avoid being served with an offer sheet Jeremy Lin signed with the Rockets so that they have more time to contemplate their business moves, Rockets beat reporter Jonathan Feigen reports.
Lin is a restricted free agent which means the Knicks have a chance to match contract offers that he receives. The former Harvard point guard signed an offer sheet for a 3-year deal worth a reported $27 million with the Rockets. The Knicks would have three days to match the offer otherwise they would lose Lin to Houston. The problem is the three-day countdown apparently can’t begin until the Knicks physically receive the offer sheet, and the team is actively avoiding being served.
Check out the tweets below sent by Houston Chronicle reporter Jonathan Feigen about the odd affair:
Rockets so far unable to hand deliver Lin offer sheet. Knicks refused to accept at team hotel. Glen Grunwald not at practice yest, gm today.
— Jonathan Feigen (@Jonathan_Feigen) July 14, 2012
Rockets had a courier knocking on doors at hotel, call room. Could not get someone to accept offer sheet yesterday.
— Jonathan Feigen (@Jonathan_Feigen) July 14, 2012
Rockets FedExed offer sheet to Knicks offices in NY, but league said GM Glen Grunwald must receive it himself. Clock to match at standstill.
— Jonathan Feigen (@Jonathan_Feigen) July 14, 2012
This isn’t much different from someone avoiding divorce papers or getting served with a lawsuit. The Knicks reportedly have said they were going to match Lin’s offer from the Rockets, but they don’t seem enthusiastic to do so. If Lin weren’t upset with the Knicks not extending the first offer, then maybe this will bother him. And for some reason I feel like we’re watching a real-life version of a Matthew Perry movie.
UPDATE: Shortly after Feigen sent these tweets, Knicks GM Glen Grunwald claimed he didn’t know the Rockets were trying to give him the offer. The Rockets finally tracked him down and gave him the offer sheet.
