The Philadelphia 76ers, a team that has had interest in trading for Jeremy Lin last summer, could make another run at acquiring the former Harvard playmaker off the free-agency market this coming offseason.

After a series of payroll-cutting transactions and three seasons of tanking for high draft picks, the Sixers will march in to this summer with a ton of cap space to spend, according to ESPN.

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Although there is no telling if the front-office will spend a significant portion of this money for max-contract players, general manager Sam Hinkie, based on his previous moves, will certainly try to bring in talent without compromising both the team's long and short term financial flexibility.

Lin, who is playing in the final year of his three-year contract that pays him a career-high US$15 million (US$8 million against the salary cap), appears to be a perfect free-agent acquisition for Hinkie & Co.

Not only does Lin's up-tempo style of play fit well into head coach Brett Brown's high-octane offense, but Hinkie is aware he could be getting a medium-level salary veteran that is still considered one of the better playmakers in the NBA.

Lin, who is averaging at least 11 points and 4 assists in 27 minutes per game, has endured yet another up-and-down season that saw him starting for the first 20 games of the season with the Lakers before riding on the bench thereafter only to be promoted back again to the starting lineup for the last 14 games because of his strong play following All-Star break.

Nevertheless, Lin is still ranked among the top-30 point guard in the NBA by ESPN the Magazine Panel Forecast, ranking 28^th just ahead of rookie Dante Exum and Sixers' and former Houston Rockets teammate Isaiah Canaan.

Aside from the Sixers, the Rockets have also been mentioned as another lead contender for Lin's service despite trading the Asian-American standout along with a first-rounder to the Lakers for salary-saving purposes a season ago.

TagsJeremy Lin, Los Angeles Lakers, philadelphia 76ers, Free Agency