Mike Woodson "absolutely" expects Jeremy Lin to re-sign with the Knicks for next season.

But Lin won't be guaranteed a place in the starting lineup.

"Jeremy's a big part of our team, and will he start? Only time will tell," Woodson said. "He's still got to recover from his knee and use this summer to really work on his game to put himself in the best position possible for our ballclub. He has started for our team and he has played well for our basketball team. But this summer will be very pivotal for him in terms of his improvement, and the future's very bright for him."

No other team can offer Lin more than the $5 million mid-level exception, and the Knicks have the right to match those offers.