After the Rockets shipped last year’s starting point guard Kyle Lowry to the Toronto Raptors for a draft pick, even more momentum seemed to be building towards the inevitable. Now, the predictable has happened.

ESPN is reporting that the Rockets and Lin have verbally agreed to a four-year, $30 million offer sheet that will be backloaded for the final two seasons.

It’s hard to say any of this is a surprise. I don’t have much more to add that I didn’t say yesterday, except for this:

As much money as that is, is there anybody on the market that could possibly provide the Knicks with the same kind of production that Lin can? Even at the elevated price the Knicks will be forced to pay if they choose to match, there isn’t a soul the Knicks could bring in, right now, that will provide the same type of potential. Even with Jason Kidd in the fold now, point guard is one of the clear weaknesses the Knicks, currently constructed, have. Lin would go a long way to fixing those flaws.

Is $30 million a lot of money to give to a player that has all but 25 starts next to his name? Absolutely. No question.

However, is $30 million of Jeremy Lin better than any million of a Raymond Felton or John Lucas III? If you even have to think about that scenario, you’re crazier than I thought.

The Knicks have to match. They really don’t have a choice in the matter.