With free agency around the corner on July 1, Knicks guard Jeremy Lin is beefing up for negotiations by retaining the powerful Washington-based agent Jim Tanner of Williams & Connolly.
The undrafted Harvard point guard was using little-known Roger Montgomery, who guided a small agency in San Antonio. A release said Montgomery will continue to work with Lin in conjunction with Williams & Connolly, a touted Beltway law firm.
The new firm will represent Lin in all areas of contractual agreements, marketing endorsements, licensing, personal appearances, media relations, community investments, and other business opportunities. Montgomery and Tanner will collaborate on Lin’s new contract that could get tricky if another team offers him a back-loaded proposal. The Knicks can match any offer but a team under the cap can go as high as $15 million in the third year of a deal. The first two years can’t be higher than the average salary (roughly $5M).
“I believe Jim and the team at Williams & Connolly are the best fit for me in all aspects of my career,” Lin said in a statement. “With the quality and character of their firm and clients, their extensive basketball experience and tremendous success in athlete representation, I am confident that Williams & Connolly will provide me with the guidance I need to continue to develop personally and professionally. I am excited to have them work with Roger Montgomery and my current team.’’