Houston Rockets: Five Potential Landing Spots for Ty Lawson

The news that the Houston Rockets are looking for options to trade Ty Lawson was as unexpected as predictable.

Unexpected because as I debated in a recent article: even though Ty is Rockets biggest disappointment this season, his recent play makes him overwhelmingly undervalued thus hampering the chances for Houston’s GM Daryl Morey to get something in return for him.

If anything, the Rockets gave up a 1st round pick for Denver in order to attain the services of the floor general; it’s probably unlikely Morey can get that back now if he doesn’t pack Lawson with someone else.

It’s also predictable due to Lawson’s latest performances – the experiment clearly failed – in the last seven games Ty’s totalled 11 points on a 3-of-19 shooting, or 15.8% field-goal percentage average.

On the court Lawson’s slump is obviously hurting his confidence as the point guard is passing on easy shots and layups, forcing the assists and commiting turnovers. His minutes keep declining and he looks like a shell of the player he once was with the Denver Nuggets.

His season averages are mostly career lows: points (5.9), field goals percentage (32.9%), rebounds (1.9) and his assists numbers (4.2) are only higher than his rookie season.

All things considered it still looked like the coaching staff would stick with Lawson for the remainder of the season and head coach JB Bickerstaff declared a couple of times that they intended to keep him in Houston.

However on this Friday, after Lawson was handled a 2 game suspension by the League due to a DUI arrest in 2014, there have been reports that Houston was working on a trade deal for the talented guard.

Source: Rockets want to keep Ty Lawson, however, more playing time with someone else is being sought from Lawson’s people.

— Calvin Watkins (@calvinwatkins) December 18, 2015

Therefore as you can read in the tweet above by ESPN’s Calvin Watkins, Rockets intentions towards Lawson have not changed, nevertheless the player and his staff is looking for more opportunities elsewhere.

With that in mind we at Space City Scoop dug around the latest league news and are offering you 5 potential landing spots for Ty Lawson and what the Rockets could get in return.

Bear in mind that Ty’s market value is currently extremely low, therefore the number of teams interested or deals to be made for Lawson are restrict and as I’ve already said, the initial investment is likely lost.

*all trades below were succesfull with realgm trade checker.

1. Bucks in Town

Milwaukee Bucks gets: Ty Lawson

Houston Rockets gets: Tyler Ennis, O.J. Mayo and a future 2nd-round pick.

The Bucks are desperately looking for a experienced point guard. Greivis Vasquez just underwent surgery in his right ankle and is out for at least four months. Jason Kidd would probably believe he has what it takes to rehabilitate the talented guard, that plus OJ Mayo on the end of an expiring deal makes this deal attractive for the Bucks.

For the Rockets this package is not likely to drastically improve the team, but it’s an option to get some compensation for Ty. Houston is acquiring another competent shooter in Mayo who can help scoring in bunches coming off the bench and a young point guard who still has some upside.

It’s not great but it’s something.

2. No sleep till Brooklyn

Brooklyn Nets gets: Ty Lawson

Houston Rockets gets: Jarrett Jack, Bojan Bogdanovic, Wayne Ellington

Now that’s a great deal… for the Nets. They get to dump 3 players with 2-year salaries and take back one player who could either work out great for the team or in the case he doesn’t, he bolts in the end of the season clearing up cap space.

Rockets would be insane to take this deal, but it works and the Nets are really interested in Lawson.

The main reasons that this would be a bad deal for the Rockets are:

• I’m not convinced by Bojan Bogdanovic’s potential.
• There’s nothing Jarrett Jack could offer the Rockets that Jason Terry is not providing already.
• Wayne Ellington would probably be bought out as soon as he gets in Houston.

Let’s move on.

3. Playing with Anthony Davis

New Orleans Pelicans gets: Ty Lawson, Terrence Jones, future 2nd-round pick

Houston Rockets gets: Ryan Anderson, Quincy Pondexter

I have absolutely no idea why, but the Pelicans are looking to deal Ryan Anderson. The power forward is averaging great numbers and is finally healthy.

However the struggling Pelicans are probably looking to capitalize on Anderson’s final year of his contract and Ty Lawson could be a good option for two reasons:

• The Pelicans structure themselves around Anthony Davis and if Ty gels with him the team could see a vast improvement.
• Jrue Holiday is injured more often than not.

Add to that the Pelicans chance to reunite two Kentucky Wildcats alumni in Terrence Jones and Anthony Davis.

I’d be happy with this trade: the Rockets would add – a lot – of fire power especially from the three-point line. However they would return to the same problem as last year: lack of a reliable, elite point guard.

4. Joining Forces with coach George Karl

Sacramento Kings gets: Ty Lawson, future 2nd-round picks

Houston Rockets gets: Caron Butler, Omri Casspi, Darren Collison

I know what you’re thinking: the Kings would never do that. They would though. They did a lot worse. And my guess is that George Karl feels he is the one coach that can recover Ty Lawson.

The deal is not that farfetched. Let’s review some points:

• Per Espn’s Marc Stein Caron Butler wants out
• Darren Collison is probably not very happy coming off the bench after his strongest season ever.
• Worst case scenario, this deal opens up cap space for the Kings who are offloading three players with two-year salaries.

From Houston’s perspective that’s a decent deal. Caron Butler would probably be waived but Collison can succeed in Houston making a great duo with Harden as he is not a ball dominant point guard and can create his own shots.

As for Omri Casspi he already knows H-town and has shown great improvement this season playing for the Kings.

5. Writer’s Dream – a Threeway with Detroit

This one is unlikely – I’ll start by addressing that. But it works and it would address problems with the three teams involved, take a look:

Milwaukee Bucks gets: Ty Lawson

Detroit Pistons gets: Terrence Jones, OJ Mayo

Houston Rockets gets: Brandon Jennings, Johnny O’Bryant III

First of all this deal works for the Bucks for the reasons mentioned earlier.

It’s good for the Pistons too as they could use the additional scoring Mayo is able to provide. Right now the Pistons sit 19th in points per game and 24th in three-point percentage. Acquiring OJ Mayo gives them an opportunity to improve in both areas.

Regarding Terrence Jones it works in the opposite way as he can become a much needed help for Andre Drummond defending the paint something that both Ersan Ilyasova and Marcus Morris fail to provide.

Finally, I consider this one the best deal for the Rockets as it involves Brandon Jennings.

Jennings is still only 26 years and is perhaps everything the Rockets thought they were getting with Ty Lawson: he is quick, he can create and knock down his own shots, he pushes the pace.

I feel that playing with the Rockets he might be able to rehabilitate Rockets fast-break efficiency that ranked 7th place last season and has fallen all the way to 16th place.

Who do you think the Rockets should aim for in case they trade Lawson? Hit the comment section below and tell us your ideas!

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