NBA Free Agency: Jeremy Lin Expected To Receive Offer Sheet From Rockets

Restricted free agent Jeremy Lin is expected to receive an offer sheet from the Houston Rockets during his meeting with the club on Wednesday. Marc Berman of the New York Post reports that the Rockets are likely to offer a back-loaded contract comparable to the one they gave RFA Omer Asik. Rockets GM Daryl Morey also spoke to the Post about adding Lin:

A league source said Lin will be offered a contract today - maybe in the $30 million range - in a back-loaded nature similar to the one the Rockets offered Bulls big man Omir Asik.

"Jeremy Lin's an excellent player,'' Rockets general manager Daryl Morey told The Post. "We got to know him firsthand when he was with the Rockets early this season. We think he'd make a fantastic addition to our team.''

There is some speculation about whether the Knicks will match the offer sheet from the Rockets. Initial reports indicated that New York would be willing to match any offer in order to retain Lin, but the potential luxury tax penalties may be an issue for owner James Dolan. Seth of Posting and Toasting thinks that regardless of the offer coming out of today's meeting with Houston, the Knicks must make the move to match:

I think the Knicks will match anything, and I think the Knicks should match anything. I have doubts about luxury tax payment being a huge problem for Dolan because: 1. He's paid it before. 2. The Knicks look like they'll be taxpayers in 2014-2015 anyway. 3. Jeremy Lin almost certainly makes the Knicks a lot of extra money simply by being Jeremy Lin. He definitely did that last season.

On top of the luxury tax stuff, I think Jeremy's worth the investment and the risk therein. Even once "Linsanity" died down, Lin produced very nicely for a 23-year-old point guard and the team won more than it lost with him in charge.

For more on the Rockets, visit The Dream Shake and SB Nation Houston. For more on the Knicks, visit Posting and Toasting and SB Nation New York.