Michael Jordan: Jeremy Lin will be Hornets’ biggest acquisition

Jeremy Lin is playing pretty well in the preseason, and Hornets owner Michael Jordan is excited.

Jordan, via Xinhua News Agency:

We just got Jeremy Lin, who I think is going to be our biggest acquisition. His penetration, his shooting capability, his point guard savvy, he can really pass the basketball, his energy about the game of basketball something,” Jordan said.

What about Nicolas Batum? Frank Kaminsky? Spencer Hawes?

Lin is a nice player and one of the NBA’s better backup point guards, but he’s not Charlotte’s biggest acquisition.

That’s Batum, whom the Hornets got for the promising Noah Vonleh and Gerald Henderson. Batum, especially after Michael Kidd-Gilchrist’s injury, figures to play a big role in the starting lineup. Lin is stuck behind Kemba Walker.

Evan Kaminsky, the No. 9 pick, can make a case as the biggest acquisition of the offseason. Charlotte rejected the Celtics’ offer of four first-round picks – including an unprotected Nets pick – to select Kaminsky. I can concede that Jordan might have been talking about this season only, and rookies rarely make big impacts.

But in that case, Hawes should be in the running. He’s Al Jefferson’s primary backup, and he could play plenty of power forward to space the floor next to Jefferson, especially if Marvin Williams plays up at small forward with Kidd-Gilchrist out.

For Kaminsky and Hawes, the battle to be known as Charlotte’s biggest acquisition is pretty academic. If I’m Batum, a pending free agent, I’m wondering what my new boss thinks of me.