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All the talk of the Denver Nuggets standing behind Ty Lawson really proves that talk is cheap.
According to Yahoo Sports Adrian Wojnarowski the Denver Nuggets have traded troubled point guard Ty Lawson to the Houston Rockets.
Lawson received his second DUI this year and he will enter rehab for thirty days after the incident last week.
Denver has agreed to a deal to send guard Ty Lawson to Houston, league sources tell Yahoo Sports.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@WojYahooNBA) July 20, 2015
Since last season the Nuggets have been trying to deal Ty Lawson, but overvalued him at times and did not want to lose the talented point guard for something lower than their asking price which in the end Lawson’s actions made the team do.
The Rockets will send Kostas Papanikolaou, Pablo Prigioni, Joey Dorsey, Nick Johnson and a 2016 protected first to Denver. This deal gives the Nuggets a talented young big in Papanikolaou and cap relief at the end of the 2015-2016 season and a first round pick which will more than likely be later in the first round.
The Rockets will not only receive Ty Lawson in the deal, but a 2017 second round pick as well.
The Rockets once again make things interesting in the Western Conference after big off-seasons by rival teams the San Antonio Spurs and Los Angeles Clippers, which Rockets general manager Daryl Morey had to feel the pressure to make another move to get an impact player in Houston.
Lawson will be an excellent addition if his head is in the right place which obviously it is not right now. The Rockets already a dangerous offensive team add a very good offensive point guard that averaged 15 points per game and 9 assists, and this will give the team more depth so they can bring in the very talented defender Patrick Beverley off the bench to stir things up for the team.
The Rockets deal could pan out to make Houston a championship contender and the Nuggets get to move on from the Ty Lawson era while getting some young talent in return all around this deal works for both sides.
UPDATE: July 20th, 2015:
One more tidbit: Sources say Lawson has agreed as condition of trade to make the final year of his contract — 2016-17 — non-guaranteed.
— Zach Lowe (@ZachLowe_NBA) July 20, 2015
That gives Houston the option of keeping Lawson at his current set salary for 16-17 if things work out, or letting him walk if they don't.
— Zach Lowe (@ZachLowe_NBA) July 20, 2015
As for why Lawson would agree to this, I'd guess: 1. He wanted out of DEN; 2. He sees the cap space bonanza coming next summer just in case
— Zach Lowe (@ZachLowe_NBA) July 20, 2015
