Trending News|July 25, 2014 10:45 EDT
Jeremy Lin News: Linsanity Not Upset With Ex-Teammate James Harden Calling Houston Rockets 'Role Players' (VIDEO)
In a new interview, Laker point guard Jeremy Lin recently addressed the comments made by his former Houston Rockets teammate James Harden calling everybody on the team (except for him and Dwight Howard) "role players."
"It didn't affect me at all," said Lin, according to CSN Houston, "I agree with his statements. Those two are the cornerstones. They have lost other players and they're going to get other players and they're going to be a good team. I know who James is as a person and I've spoken to him since I've been traded. He didn't mean it in any derogatory or condescending way, I don't think it's a secret that he and Dwight are the cornerstones of the Houston Rockets."
NBA superstar James Harden recently made the following statement regarding his role on the Houston Rockets team after Lin's recent trade to the Los Angeles Lakers:
"Dwight (Howard) and I are the cornerstones of the Rockets. The rest of the guys are role players or pieces that complete our team. We've lost some pieces and added some pieces. I think we'll be fine next season," said Harden to reporters in the Philippines.
However, Lin's former teammate Chandler Parsons does not agree with Harden's assessment of the Rockets roster last year when he went on comedian Jay Mohr's radio show recently.
"That's a pretty ridiculous statement if he meant that. That's one of the reasons why I wanted to go to Dallas. I'm ready for the next step. I'm ready for a bigger role and I'm ready for more leadership. If anyone should understand that, it should be James because he was in the same situation in Oklahoma City then he got his chance to come to Houston and shine," said Parsons to Mohr in an interview.
Like Parsons, Lin is ready to move on with his new franchise after the Rockets lost to the Oklahoma City Thunder in six games of the first round of 2014 NBA playoffs.
"I think that if there is anything I've learned from this past year, it's really not that much about who starts," said Lin, according to CSN Houston, "I think it's more about who finishes and how you play with the time that you are given. I obviously believe that I can start for an NBA team and help that team win. As a competitor, I would love to. Starter or not starter, I just have to play the way I'm capable of playing and that's to play my style and my brand of basketball. As long as I do that, I think I'll be fine on any team. I think I'll be able to contribute and make plays and be on the court when it really, really counts."