Denver Nuggets: Time To Move Ty Lawson?

The 2014-15 season was a nightmare for the Denver Nuggets. After a disappointing 2013-14 season mired with injuries, many thought the team had enough talent on the roster to push for a place in the playoffs. They were considered to be one of the Western Conference’s dark horses, especially since they had made the playoffs just two seasons ago as the third seed.

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However, the team got simply more dysfunctional as the season went on. There were multiple reports of head coach Brian Shaw clashing with his roster. It was just one of the many problems surrounding the Nuggets.

Now, with Shaw fired, the Nuggets will have the offseason to try and pick up the pieces and decide how they want to rebuild the team. One of the biggest decisions they will have to make is whether Ty Lawson will continue to be part of the franchise.

Lawson is a talented guard that falls in the second tier of point guards in the league. He isn’t as good as some of the elite point guards (Chris Paul, Stephen Curry, Russell Westbrook), but could be a very good complementary piece on the team. He is an underrated ball-handler, and his speed and agility gives him an edge on the defensive end.

In the 75 games he played this year, Lawson averaged 15.2 points, 9.6 assists, and 1.2 steals per game. A good player to compare Lawson against is the Washington Wizards’ John Wall. Both players are quick point guards that have an eye for making the assist. However, Wall is more physically dominant and is just that much more talented than Lawson.

At 27 years old, Lawson isn’t going to get much better. Any team that acquires him shouldn’t expect him to improve much more. He had his best season two years ago, when the team was playing a fast-paced up-tempo offense. Since the team fired former head coach George Karl and instituted a more half-court based offense, Lawson’s production has dipped.

If the Nuggets were open to trading away Lawson, he wouldn’t be short of interested parties. Lawson is on a team-friendly contract, with $25 million left over the next two years. There are several teams that would be intriguing destinations, but whether those teams have the assets necessary to pry Lawson away from the Nuggets is another matter altogether.

As I mentioned earlier, Lawson had his best seasons under George Karl. Karl’s fast-paced offense plays to Lawson’s strengths, and a pick-and-roll combination of Lawson and DeMarcus Cousins would be devastating. However, unless the Kings are willing to attach a first-round pick, there’s not much the Kings can offer the Nuggets.

Other teams that would do well with Lawson replacing their incumbent starting point guard include the Houston Rockets, Boston Celtics and the Charlotte Hornets. All three teams would be a good fit for Lawson, and a deal might be beneficial for all three parties involved (Lawson, Denver, and the other team).

At this stage, it seems unlikely that the Nuggets will keep Lawson. There is already a rift between both parties, made evident after Lawson’s recent comment to a Dallas Mavericks’ fan on Instagram. The fan asked Lawson to come play for Dallas, to which Lawson replied “I wish.” He immediately deleted the post, but the damage had already been done.

This season was a tough one for Lawson and the organization. Lawson missed the first post-All Star Game practice this year because he was relaxing in Las Vegas, he was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence, missed a shootaround late this season, and made the puzzling decision of posting a video of the former Nuggets’ coach Shaw rapping a pregame speech after he was fired.

Whether it is sheer immaturity or blind disdain for the organization, Lawson’s actions this year will make his battle to convince the organization to keep him an uphill one.

And because of that, maybe it is really is time for the Nuggets and Lawson to part ways.

Next: 5 Reasons The Los Angeles Clippers Can Win It All

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