NBA News: Jeremy Lin Refuses to Call Nick Young ‘Swaggy P’ Moniker Until He Proves Something To Earn It

This early trouble is brewing in Lakerland. Not it is not the demands of the ever competitive Kobe Bryant or the health issues of veteran MVP point guard, Steve Nash but recent comments made by newly acquired distributor Jeremy Lin.

The man who triggered Linsanity in New York made the headlines the past days due to his refusal to call teammate Nick Young by his "Swaggy P" moniker. Lin explains that he is just amazed how his coaching staff and teammates refer to the microwave player as "Swaggy P' when even Kobe Bryant is not being casually called as the Black Mamba. ESPN reports that Lin also stressed that if someone has to be called by the nickname, he has to earn that by displaying his prowess on the court.

"He's super-cool," Lin told the media last week. "But I just find it ridiculous that everyone comes in and just calls him 'Swaggy.' You've got to earn it or something, and maybe he has but I just got here, so maybe I'll adopt [it] eventually."

While this is not expected to produce unrest or chemistry issues amongst the players, the Taiwanese-born player clarified that he has no issues with Young and is actually close to his new teammate. Lin calls the sweet shooting guard "hilarious" and will be willing to call him "Swaggy P" if he wants him to given that everyone has been calling him by that name in the last eight years.

Lin and the Lakers will have to do more than just settling on teammate's names as the Los Angeles Lakers is again projected to miss the playoffs due to a stacked Western Conference. Newly hired coach Byron Scott is setting the bar as high as the championship and will not settle for a playoff spot, which is the same goal of returning superstar Bryant. Lin, for his part has used the off-season to improve his lateral movement and his man-to-man and team defence.

He is also settling to his role of playing more minutes despite not being penciled in as a starter. Lin is expected to be the first guy off the bench, especially that Young, the best bench scorer for the Lakers last season, will be sidelined for a minimum of eight weeks due to a thumb injury.