Lin: 'The NBA's kind of given up on me'

Jeremy Lin has experienced the thrills of being an NBA champion, and he became a global phenomenon during his magical run with the New York Knicks in 2012.

But this summer's free-agency period has been a new low for Lin as each day passes without receiving a new NBA contract.

"I've given more of myself to God every single year and every year it gets harder," he told reporters in Taiwan. "And in English, there's a saying and it says, 'once you've hit rock bottom, the only way is up.' But rock bottom just seems to keep getting more and more rock bottom for me.

"Free agency has been tough cause I feel like in some ways the NBA's kind of given up on me."

Lin has failed to live up to the lofty heights of "Linsanity," but he's still been more than serviceable since then.

He began the 2018-19 season as Trae Young's backup, averaging 10.7 points on 46.6 percent shooting across 51 appearances for the Atlanta Hawks while also serving as a mentor for the young point guard.

"Honestly, he’s a big reason why I feel like I’ve been able to progress at the level I’m at right now," Young told The Athletic's Chris Kirschner in January.

Young complimented Lin following the brief time the two spent together, taking to social media to thank the veteran after Atlanta bought him out.

Lin joined the Toronto Raptors afterward and received an immediate chance to play due to backup guard Fred VanVleet's injury. However, the 30-year-old struggled to find his rhythm while shooting 37.4 percent from the floor and 20 percent from downtown across 23 appearances.

Once VanVleet returned, Lin was dropped from the rotation and played sparingly during the Raptors' run to an NBA championship.