Jeremy Lin Heading Back to Texas

It's official: Jeremy Lin is leaving New York. The Knicks decided to decline matching the Houston Rockets' offer to keep the surprise sensation around for another year. Lin will spend next season with the Houston Rockets, who signed him to a three-year $25.1 million offer sheet. The Knicks had first-refusal rights on Lin and haduntil 11:59 p.m. to match the deal, but sources say that the decision had been made as of 4 p.m. and was considered final. Houston’s offer included a third-year balloon payment of $14.9 million, which would have cost the Knicks at least $35 million in luxury-tax penalties had they attempted to match it.