{Mannix} Rockets interested in Ty Lawson despite DUI

One of the more intelligent posts.

 

Exactly. I honestly don't know why everyone cares so much about his personal life. The only thing that matters is how he plays on the court, and we can all agree that he has excelled in his time here.

 

Lawson has had 4 DUI's- TRUE! First is 2008 in college (excusable to a degree). 2nd has not been found and only was told by Lawson that he got it in Missouri I think. No date for this one so kinda strange.

The last 2 were this year where he probably knew he was out of the Nuggets system soon. Put him on a championship type team and I think he quickly changes his tune. I don't feel ill about him possibly coming here at all. He never resisted arrest, he has always been upfront with the officers, and not charged in any domestic abuse, dog fighting, drug taking, human trafficking or any other kind of criminal activity that gets a player jailed.

 

Just looking at this from a worst case scenario and what we might risk. Let's say we trade for him and his $13m/year salary. If the experiment is a complete failure what would it take to move his last year of salary in trade or would we be able to buyout/stretch/waive him?

If we can hedge the risk by moving him relatively easily without hurting next seasons cap space then I'm game.

 

Third in the league in assists and an elite penetrator and finisher at the rim.

Everyone here has been b****ing about we need another playmaker because the offense completely stalls whenever Harden isn't in the game. Well other than CP3 and Wall there is no better playmaker at PG in the entire league! Lawson is seriously underrated on this board since there is a plethora of good to great PGs right now.

Rarely can a cap strapped contender pick up a talent like Lawson on the cheap. This is only even possible because 1) his off court issues 2) nuggets rebuilding 3) ng contracts in Prigs and Papa 4) All the other contenders are set at PG

You have to do this just like we had to bring in Smith last year. We are not in the same class as the Spurs, Cavs, and Warriors and there is only one available player in the NBA who could push us into that tier.

Get it the hell done.

 

Acquiring a productive Lawson would make me miss Smoove a whole lot less

 

He would be an expiring contract which could be easily moved to a team looking to shed some long term salary.

 

Point guards better than Lawson:

Curry - $11.3 million
Paul - $21.4 million
Westbrook - $16.7 million
Wall - $14.7 million
Lowry - $12 million
Irving - $16.4 million
Dragic - $14.7 millioon
Bledsoe - $13.5 million
Conley - $9.6 million
Lillard - rookie contract


I would also take George Hill over Lawson. Hill makes $8 million this year and next. It looks like Lawson is paid exactly what he should be paid, if not more based entirely on talent. Tack on the very serious off-the-court issues, and he's negative value. The Rockets only have positive contracts except for Dorsey, so we can only give up value for Lawson. That's fine, but the Rockets shouldn't go past matching contracts: Papa, Prig, Dorsey, Jones.

 

If the Rockets are looking for cap space next year, why would they be adding long term salary? He's talking about getting someone to absorb Lawson's $13 million salary into their cap space next summer. We gave up one first to get rid of Lin's contract, which was only $8.5 million on the cap (with $15 million paid in salary). And Lin, for all his warts, was a useful player.

If Lawson is pretty much out of the league due to another DUI or something worse, then the Rockets would probably need to give up multiple first round picks to shed his salary.

 

At this point pickings in the market are slim and Rockets obviously have to strengthen and Lawson looks to be the best bit.

you gamble and run with it and hope his off court issues don't come up again

 

Already had nightmares of Shaun Livingston post-ups-- all night long.

 

I think it's been said a few times but I will co-sign. I would LOVE to have Ty Lawson on the team. The missing dynamic we have been waiting for, especially since Bev's injury, will be solved.

For the off-court concerns, we can only hope the change of scenery and the bigger vet presence (retirees included) plays a bigger part in him addressing that issue. I know Clyde and Calvin Murph will be at the front of the line to try and mentor him. Anyone can assume THEY WILL do it, but only Ty knows how receptive he is to the help. Quit assuming James and Ty are going to be chugging beers at half time.

 

You take the smartest gamble. Trading for Lawson limits moves in the near and far future. Is the likelihood of Lawson moving the needle higher - keeping in mind that he's not a great fit and has risks of his own - than the likelihood of making a better move later? I'm not convinced.

Making moves out of desperation is how you end up paying Chandler Parsons and Wesley Matthews the max while the ignorant cheer because "things are being done."

 

Then how will we know if he's ise to the finer things?

 

The difference is you have two superstars already versus none in their prime like the Mavs. You take the gamble on Lawson because I don't see the assets the Rockets have to land something bigger. Their assets are sort of middle of the pack in terms of value right now.

 

I would not take hill over Lawson. While I like hills fit and his shooting he's not the second creator we need. Offensively with Lawson and harden running the break we'd be deadly. We need a second creator... Not just an upgrade at pg

 

You're right. It doesn't. This guy is making stuff up. Before the dui all the Lakers had to offer was Nick Young, and trash. Now?? They're like everybody else, waiting to see if he gets bought out.

All true. He doesn't defend. And if he had no personal problems that limits his value to us. We value defense at the point above the other skills.

We're not trading for Lawson and owe him 2 years and $25 million. Perhaps if he would agree to make his final season a non-guaranteed salary we might become interested in a trade. But not until then.

Oh, yes there is (or will be).

No, they haven't. Only way to trade Lawson is to get him to agree to make last season non-guaranteed. Then they've got a chance.

Take out Nance, Jr. and KCP and add in other junk that has no real value. Those were the type of offers available for Lawson pre-DUI. Now everybody's waiting it out. There is NO ONE willing to trade for him at present. Perhaps if he made his last year non-guaranteed there may be a smidgen of interest.

Just because you don't see it doesn't mean it doesn't exist. And you don't gamble on a vet owed $25 million over 2 seasons when you are in our position. You may gamble on a low first round draft pick and have to pay him a couple million dollars over 2 seasons. But that's not quite the same thing as gambling $25 million and cap space to a guy that is in the condition Lawson is in. Glad you're not GMing this team.

What you do on guys like Lawson is see if a buyout develops. Buyout. Buyout. Buyout.

And then you pounce.

 

If you can manage to get him for just expirings and not trade jones, then if lawson becomes useless as a player you could package him with jones and maybe an early 2nd to move him if you absolutely had to.

You could always stretch his last year salary too which wouldn't be to bad if he's only got one year left.

 

I'm more confused by the Lakers.

 

Lakers have pg locked up with Clarkson and Russell. Detroit just gave Reggie Jackson 80 mil and has Jennings and his 8 mil a year so to pay three pgs good money makes no sense. Denver didn’t like Morey's low ball offer and is trying to put pressure on him to give up more. Morey do not give up Jones, with Smith gone we need Jones' scoring and blocks. Keep the pressure on em Morey, they'll crack