Former NBA guard Gibson to replace Lin in China

Free agent guard Jonathan Gibson has agreed to a deal with the Beijing Ducks of the Chinese Basketball Association, according to Emiliano Carchia of Sportando.

Gibson will be replacing free agent guard Jeremy Lin, who announced earlier this month he is looking to return to the NBA.

Gibson, 32, is 6-foot-2 and went undrafted out of New Mexico State in 2010. He appeared in 17 games with the Dallas Mavericks in 2016-17 and four with the Boston Celtics the following season. He carries NBA career averaged of 6.7 points and 1.4 assists.

His G League rights were traded from the Rio Grande Valley Vipers to the Windy City Bulls in February.

Gibson averaged 31.2 points with the Jiangsu Dragons last season.

Meanwhile, Lin is coming off a championship as a member of the Toronto Raptors in 2018-19, making him the first Asian-American to win a title.

“I know that many of my fans have stood by me no matter if I was injured,” he said, “Why was this decision so difficult? Yesterday, when I shared this with my family and friends when I told them I would have to leave China, I cried.”

Lin, 32, impressed in 39 games with Ducks, compiling averages of 22.3 points, 5.7 rebounds and 5.6 assists.