Taiwanese-American NBA star Jeremy Lin has been traded to the Los Angeles Lakers.
According to an ESPN report on Friday, the Houston Rockets traded the guard and a future first-round pick to the Lakers. ESPN cited an NBA source, but there was no immediate confirmation of the news. Rumors about Lin leaving Houston have increased in recent weeks as his contract with the Rockets is set to enter the third and last year.
The ESPN report said the Lakers were amenable to the deal partly because Lin is only under contract for one more season, so they are able to preserve their cap space next summer.
Lin signed a three-year deal with the Rockets in July 2012. He said he had gotten used to the rumors about his trade.
Lin is the first person of Taiwanese descent, and one of the only Harvard graduates to play for the NBA. He soared to stardom in 2011 when his moves on the court triggered a winning streak with the New York Knicks and led to a global phenomenon known as “Linsanity”.