NBA Trade Rumors: Five potential destinations for Ty Lawson
Remember when the Denver Nuggets drafted the future at point guard, Emmanuel Mudiay, on draft night? Ty Lawson made a video after that, saying he was going to the Sacramento Kings. Well he didn’t end up in Sacramento, he ended up with the Houston Rockets.
If the Rockets want to move Lawson and his contract, then why not send him to his old head coach, George Karl? While the Kings are having their issues this season and once again are struggling, mostly because of DeMarcus Cousins having nagging injuries, they could actually do themselves a favor by taking on Lawson in a deal, if they can get an asset or a draft pick back.
Well, as everyone can remember, the Kings made a lot of people scratch their heads this off-season when they sent a bunch of contracts to the Philadelphia 76ers, as they mortgaged their future to try and become a 40-win team. Well it took a matter of a week into the season for that to already backfire.
They most likely won’t own a draft pick in 2016, as the 76ers have the right to a pick swap with the Kings if they want, or that would convey to the following season. They also won’t have a pick if it falls between 11-30, as it would belong to the Chicago Bulls. The point being, they did a really good job of making sure they don’t have future picks.
If they wanted to take on Ty Lawson and his contract, which is non-guaranteed for next season, then they could maybe get a future asset back from the Rockets, so that they could begin to get some picks back. After giving them away, they’re going to need it, especially if the franchise begins to flounder, which they haven’t given any credence to believe that they’re going to stop floundering anytime soon.
So how would a deal get done between these two teams? First of all, this is one of those deals that could have to wait until at least December 15, when free agents that signed contracts can be traded. The Kings signed a lot of players in free agency this season, and some of those would likely need to fit the bill in a deal to Houston.
However, looking at the deals that Sacramento signed with their free agents in the summer, it’s unlikely that Houston would want any of those players, as they would all be on the books for more than this season. In fact any trade to match salary would probably be a deal that puts Houston on the books for a player, so a trade with Sacramento might be about getting some talent in return.
In terms of matching salaries, a trade of Darren Collison, Ben McLemore and Eric Moreland for Lawson could work. The Rockets could waive Moreland and therefore fit both Collison and McLemore on the roster. In Collison, who would also be on the books for just $5.229 million next season as well, the Rockets would be getting a player who plays with great effort at point guard, which is something they need behind Patrick Beverley. His deal would also be easy to move in the off-season as well.
In McLemore, the Rockets could be getting a young shooting guard that has potential, if he can fit. He has yet to in Sacramento, and if he doesn’t they could also flip him in a deal as well. As for assets, in this case Houston might not just give them a first, but say give Sacramento the right to swap picks in a future year, which for both teams would have to be probably 2017 and beyond.
There is potential for a deal to be made here.
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