"Jeremy Lin is only 23 years old and has shown flashes that he could be a very special player," said Knicks owner James Dolan. "You have to make every possible attempt to get a player like that on your team."
Rockets general manager Daryl Morey says that he is "very confused" by the offer and "regardless, under no circumstances do I want Raymond Felton on my team, nor should any team, in all due respect."
The Knicks say that in addition to Lin's talents, youth and vast marketability, what attracts them to him is his contract.
"The first two years of his contract are really cheap," said Knicks general manager Glen Grunwald. "Sure, it goes up a lot in the third year, but he could prove to be more than worth that jump in salary. That's a risk we have to be willing to take. Again, this guy has shown he has immense potential on the court, without mentioning all he obviously provides off the court."
Dolan says he understands it will be tough, if not impossible, to pry Lin away from the Rockets.
"The guy has 'it,'" said Dolan. "If a team gets a player like that, they just don't give him away. And they definitely don't replace him for someone like Ray Felton. But, hell — it's worth a shot, right? I know our fans would love to have Jeremy Lin in a Knicks jersey and I'd like to make that happen."
