Shortly before he landed in purple-and-gold pastures, Jeremy Lin envisioned his future landscape as quickly as when he attacks the basket.

Lin did not need clairvoyance about the Houston Rockets’ sentiments toward him when they used his No. 7 jersey on the likeness of Carmelo Anthony during last offseason’s free agency pursuit.

“It was a signal,” Lin said, “that I’m probably going to get traded soon.”

That happened perhaps as fast as when “Linsanity” took off during his time in New York. The Rockets dealt Lin and a first-round pick to the Lakers, a move solely to clear Lin’s $15 million expiring contract to clear cap space for Chris Bosh.

Yet, Lin entered the Lakers’ season opener on Tuesday against the Houston Rockets stressing he holds no animosity dangling his jersey number even when he still wore it.

“A lot of other people were more outraged than I was,” said Lin, who averaged 12.5 points and 4.1 assists in Houston. “It’s probably not the best idea. But it’s not like I’m crying myself to sleep every night.”

Still, Lin encountered frustrations in Houston that entailed coming off the bench in 33 out of 71 games played after starting every game the previous season. Though Rockets coach Kevin McHale called Lin “a good kid” and praised his work ethic, McHale suggested Lin needs to fine-tune his engine.

“Jeremy plays the same way all the time and goes into attack mode. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn’t work,” McHale said. “Most of the time, he plays for you. Other times, he’s playing for the other team.”

Now that Lin plays for the Lakers, he believes will have a “fresh start.” Lin started at point guard against Houston on Tuesday at Staples Center over Ronnie Price, who played as reserve after nursing a bone bruise in his right knee.

It remains to be seen whether that becomes permanent. But Lakers coach Byron Scott initially plans for Lin and Kobe Bryant to share ballhandling duties.

“I think it’s better that way than running around off picks and screens,” Scott said. “It saves Kobe’s legs more when he has the ball. Most guys will be able to handle the ball. That takes pressure off of whoever doesn’t have the ball. Jeremy’s young enough where he can do the running around. He can save Kobe’s legs that well.”

Lin expressed optimism with that dynamic, noting his past experience with Houston’s James Harden and New York’s Carmelo Anthony taught him how to play off the ball.

“That’s one of those things that will naturally work itself out,” Lin said. “He knows how to play the game. I feel like I’m at a point where I can do different things.”

Etc.

Scott said forward Ryan Kelly likely won’t return from a right hamstring injury until next week. … With games this week in Phoenix (tonight), against the Clippers (Friday) and in Golden State (Saturday), the Lakers don’t have any scheduled practices. … Lakers forward Xavier Henry played against Houston after missing all of training camp while rehabbing his back and surgically repaired right knee.