[The Score] Report: Nuggets willing to deal Ty Lawson this offseason due to soured relationship

George Karl loved Lawson when he was in Denver. I am sure Karl is pushing to land a vet PG. But will Kings management do it? It might depend on who is there at 6.

 

I agree. As good as Cousins is, the Kings aren't doing anything for the next four or five years in the West.

If I were them: Cousins to the Knicks for their pick. Take Mudiay and Cauley-Stein. Take on David Lee's expiring for some future picks. Build that way.

 

Might have something up there sleeve to move up to top 3...maybe?

 

Hey, the Kings war room! Stauskas? Stauskas!

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Maybe the Kings like Justice Winslow or whoever better than Lawson? Maybe they think they can get Lawson or a similar PG for a cheaper price than the 6th pick? Given his behavior last season, and the number of "pretty good" PGs out there, the market for Lawson might not be huge.

 

I want Lawson bad, I hope Sacramento doesn't do it.

 

Why do you want Lawson bad? He is not even an average defender and Harden generates more PPP with the ball in his hands than any player in the NBA.

 

Sacto ain't doing it, Lawson isn't worth a pick that high. The kings have more upside in just using the pick. Deal makes zero sense

 

1.)Young
2.)Good contract
3.)Will take non essential assets to land (probably Jones/our pick)
4.)Good friends with Durant who we are in a position to pursue next offseason.
5.)Good fit, can hit the three and leads the league w/ Harden in creating corner threes.
6.) Harden is better clearly, but Harden needs to be playing 34-36 minutes a night, which leaves a gaping hole at offensive creator for the remaining 14 minutes a game.

 

1. $12M/year through 16-17 blows up any chance of going for KD without salary cap twister on Morey's part in the summer of 2016.
2. Turns 28 at the beginning of next season so in all probability is not getting much better.
3. If the Nuggets did not ditch him at last seasons trade deadline asset sell off chances are that he is not coming cheap.
4. Needs the ball in his hands to be productive. Harden is the league leader in PPP with the ball in his hands. No player generates 9+ assists without the rock.

 

Given Lawson's age, perhaps. At 27, he should be much more in win now mode, whereas the Kings are generally in keep building mode.

But I suspect probabilisticly you are not likely to get a player of Lawson's capabilities at 6.

You certainly can, and get even better, but the odds are likely against you.

How much does Sacramento want to accelerate the winning process?
- Cousins is already grumbling and discontent. He's your bonafide star. If you pass on a move like this to draft someone who is at least 2 years away from "really really" helping win, you might as well consider Cousins trades.

- Rudy Gay is signed for THREE more years, at $12-$14 million. Not as ridiculous today or next year as it might seem, but that's also still clearly a win now type player

- They hired George Karl. Can't imagine that was to help them continue a "rebuild"

All signs point to the Kings wanting to win sooner... like next year... than even mention the word rebuild. This draft appears top-heavy. 3-4 definite top picks - KAT, Okafor, Russell, KPorz. MAYBE the Kings love Mudiay... but I'd be shocked if they even trusted themself now!

Will Darren Collison be healthy? Does it matter? Kings need more guard help, more PF help.

Are they likely to find a better "veteran" for the #6 pick.

 

I can't wait.

Jones + Draft pick + Kostas = We get Lawson??? IS IT POSSIBLE?!?!

AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH. Having Lawson next to Harden would be so awesome.

 

Lawson had a 20.6% usage this past year.

For comparison purposes, that's less than what Harden's was his last year in OKC.

Your statement makes sense on face value, but the analytics seem to disprove it. His assist ratio to usage ratio I suspect leads the league by a lot.

 

1.) No it doesn't. We have many pieces which can easily be moved to make it work. The largest inhibitor is Durant wanting to come here. This move would help our chances there.
2.) So, we would have him during is prime/peak. He will get better just by virtue of playing with better players. Less usage, better finishers, he can pick his spots.
3.) Trade value goes down over time, not up. They probably held out thinking they could nab Sacramento's pick. Like I said originally, I hope Sac doesn't make the deal.
4.) Plenty of games, minutes, ball to go around. We have exactly ONE guy on the roster who can create with the ball. Wade/Lebron worked, Thomas/Monroe worked, Pierce/Allen/Rondo worked, Curry/Thompson worked. This narrative doesn't hold up under scrutiny.

 

Sacramento giving up the 6th pick for Lawson? Damn we can't touch that offer. Lawson playing with Cousins is SCARY. That's lob city 2

 

exactly, i want Lawson bad too.

 

eFG% 47%. TS% 52%. That is Lawson. Want me to post Harden's numbers?

Harden only had a usage 11% higher than Lawson. Bev had a usage of 16%. Are you going to rip that usage from Harden and give it to Lawson? That will decrease the Rockets offensive performance.

Besides, Lawson is not even close to an average NBA defender. In fact let me go so far as to say that Lawson is a terrible NBA defender. I thought the Rockets were attempting to establish an identity as a top defensive NBA team. I could be wrong. But everything Lawson brings to the table offensively will perhaps will be offset by his defensive performance.

 

you noted he couldn't average 9+ assist per game without dominating the ball. I was just point out that in a sense, he did.

The numbers you posted aren't crazy efficient, obviously, but we're not talking Lance Stephenson here.

No, I'm proposing Lawson comes over and has a usage closer to Bev's but perhaps more like 18%.

I'm proposing he takes that usage from a combination of players including Harden.

I'm hypothesizing that Harden's decreased usage will help the team overall.

Harden himself has asked for more help offensively. He wants to lower his usage.

You might not like Lawson's game.
Personally, I think he becomes more efficient on the Rockets, while also being that offensive creator the team needs.

This is where the rubber hits the road.

I, and others, think that the balance he brings to the team offensively would make up for the decline in defense...

ESPECIALLY when you consider Beverely is always injured in the playoffs, when even the best PG defenders can't stop good opponent point, and when you consider that it is a pick and roll league.

But if you, or Morey, or whomever wants to argue that we can't decline defensively like you think Lawson might be... well, you might be right.

 

I happen to disagree with almost everything you said. But everyone has an opinion, and I do realize I am expressing one. Lawson is a completely one dimensional player at a time when the league values two way players more and more. His $12M/year salary through 16-17 would be a millstone around the Rockets neck. When Harden is on the court there is no player in the NBA who generates more PPP than he does. Morey has had many opportunities to "upgrade" the PG position in the last year, and he has never pulled the trigger. Why you might ask. Because Harden is the PG for the Rockets. It is not a position that Morey is going to commit 18.56% of his salary cap to next season. Yep, that is what a $12M/year salary will do to a $65M salary cap.

And I would love to see your salary cap gymnastics on how the Rockets can come up with the needed $24M/year contract to make a run at KD in the summer of 2016 carrying Lawson's $$12.5 million dollar salary. Even with that $90M cap.

 

Yea, that was Lawson on the lottery Nuggets, while mailing it in. Outside of that outlier, he has a career TS% of 56%. Not surprisingly, the lower the usuage, the higher the TS%, which is the point.

11% is not an "only". It is a monumental difference.

You are not going to rip that usage from Harden, you are going to rip it from the inefficient guys you were relying on to create offense when Harden wasn't on the floor. Cough*Josh Smith (24%)*Cough. That will increase offensive performance.

We just played three rounds of playoffs with Jason Terry as our Point Guard, who is basically a zero on defense. Simply replacing him with Lawson, makes us a vastly improved team.

You are not convincing.