New York Knicks: A Realistic Point Guard Wishlist For 2016 Trade Deadline
By Jon Shames
3.) Ty Lawson
Knicks get: Ty Lawson and Jason Terry
Rockets get: Jose Calderon and Derrick Williams
Lawson would be the cheapest option to acquire, but also the most ineffective. The Lawson that we’ve seen this year isn’t the fringe All-Star from the past four seasons. This year’s model of the 5-foot-11 point guard comes with unimpressive averages of 6.4 points and 4.2 assists per game, with a field goal percentage of .369.
Oh, and a DUI charge too — can’t forget about that one.
Lawson’s time with the Houston Rockets has been anything but successful, and he is now coming off the bench, with Patrick Beverley reclaiming the Rockets’ starting point guard spot. Lawson has played poorly this year, but a change of scenery could be exactly what the speedy floor general needs.
Lawson is a career 36.6 percent shooter from downtown who has the ability to get hot in a flash. This is a guy who has made 10 straight threes in a game before.
As if that wasn’t enough, Lawson remains one of the fastest guards in the entire NBA, and he is excellent at pushing the pace. Earlier this season, Carmelo Anthony voiced his frustration with the Knicks’ slow pace, so adding Lawson would certainly help in that respect.
Lawson’s speed would be a key in transition, but its use in halfcourt sets cannot be ignored either. Lawson isn’t the craftiest of players, but a quick first step lets him get into the paint with ease. The Knicks need a penetrating point guard who can collapse the defense, as their two primary scorers play mostly on the outside.
Of all the guards on this list, Lawson brings the least to the table. Still, he would be an upgrade over Jose Calderon, and in the trade scenario listed above, Jason Terry could come in and replace the shooting that Calderon provided.
The Rockets would acquire Derrick Williams, whom they were interested in during last offseason, and that would give them the flexibility to dump Terrence Jones, a stretch-4 considered one of the league’s most available trade targets.
Lawson to New York would be a sight to see, and it’s unclear how the troubled guard would fare in a huge market like the Big Apple, but to potentially push New York into the playoffs, it could be a risk worth taking.
Next: Option No. 2: high-risk; high chances at a high reward