NBA: 10 Candidates For Sixth Man Of The Year In 2015-16

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Sep 28, 2015; Houston, TX, USA; Houston Rockets guard Ty Lawson (3) answers questions during media day at Toyota Center. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports /

7. Ty Lawson

Technically speaking, there’s a very good chance Ty Lawson starts more games for the Houston Rockets than Patrick Beverley does in 2015-16. Beverley has been a tad injury-prone lately and though he’s a better defender (and possibly a better fit alongside James Harden in the frontcourt), the team’s ceiling is a lot higher with Lawson in the starting five.

However, in the event that Lawson’s average perimeter shooting and ball-dominant tendencies don’t mesh well with the Beard, there’s a chance head coach Kevin McHale might choose to utilize Lawson in a sixth man role, placing him in charge of a deep and talented second unit.

Lawson still has to prove to the world that he’s put his inner demons behind him, but even if he’s able to do so, there’s a chance his starting role could be changed simply for basketball reasons. If that’s the case, the former Denver Nuggets facilitator probably vaults a few spots up this list.

Next: No. 6