Jeremy Lin 'Absolutely' Returning To Knicks Next Season

With their elimination from the NBA playoffs, the Knicks are already looking toward the 2012-2013 season.

Besides the starting frontcourt, most of the players on New York's roster will become free agents in the offseason. The biggest name of these potential free agents is Jeremy Lin.

After making the league minimum this past season, the point guard will become a restricted free agent. This means that other NBA teams are allowed to make an offer to Lin, but the Knicks can match any offer.

According to Knicks head coach Mike Woodson, New York won't let any team swoop in and sign Lin. When asked if Lin would be back next season, Woodson responded, Absolutely.

Woodson would not commit to what role Lin would have with the team. He was the Knicks starter for much of the season, but there's a chance that the team could bring in a veteran. That might relegate Lin to the bench.

Steve Nash has been rumored as a possible target for the Knicks, but the he would have to give them a pretty big discount to come to the Big Apple.

The good news for the Knicks is they probably won't have to pay Lin too much to keep him. Under what is being called the Arenas Rule, there's a limit to what other teams can offer Lin. If Lin signs a contract with another team, he won't be able to make more than the league average salary.

The Knicks don't have much salary cap flexibility, so there have been questions about whether or not the team would let Lin go. He burst onto the season after his first few starts, but eventually cooled off.

It seems, however, the Knicks will be more than willing to give Lin the $5 million necessary to bring him back.