My understanding is that Harden was pleading for another ball handler. Then he gets one and it doesn't work. And I also heard that he and Lawson were pals. Exactly who or what does James want that he thinks he can work with and what are the chances of getting him? I think James essentially plays both the point and shooting guard simultaneously. The purest form of a combo guard. It will be the Rockets challenge of a lifetime and key to any success to find someone who can play next to him compatibally.
Lawson's assist stats from the last couple of seasons were inflated because of how Shaw wanted him to play. Too many in the GARM looked at the numbers and ran with that without bothering to actually watch the Nuggets.
I just don't get why Ty can't seem to get it together. He used to have 20+ point games regularly even last year. Phil passing hasn't been anything to brag about either often times he gets in the paint and makes a bonehead pass that results in a TO. I really thought that the Harden/Lawson pairing would work. I mean even Lin had some success and put up occasional high scoring games next to Harden. I just don't get why we don't try and play the Miami Heat Lebron era offense. Harden plays the Lebron role Ty in the wade roll. Each guy stays on the opposite side of the court ready to attack a scrambling defense. It looked like it was comin together in that 4 game win streak early in the season and then lawson just vanished out of thin air. I highly doubt lawson is even tradable we might be stuck with him. I guess the fact that his contract is an expiring is a positive but nobody wanted him this summer even though he was still seen as a good player. Now he's a shell of his former self and doesn't seem like he's going to snap out of it. I hope he proves us all wrong starting Tom but man I highly doubt it. A full strength Ty Lawson playing his game would do wonders for this team more than any player we could get back in a trade for him. Unfortunately that doesn't seem like reality at the moment.
His entire career he has been nearly 3-1, with solid shooting numbers. On some damn solid Karl Nuggets teams too. The GARM is right, the system is a huge part of the issue. Most figured James would be off the ball after turning it over 13 times in the biggest game of his life.
Wait ... So let me see if I'm reading these leaks and the context correctly: Fegan is putting out this story, to get his client in a better team situation in what's now a contract year ... But since Lawson has been sucking, the Rockets might have to take back garbage to unload him, and therefore they'd possibly rather hang onto Lawson and just let his cap space expire at the end of the season? So the stuff about them wanting to keep him might be true, but ruthless?
For the same reason reloading teams would want him more for his contract than his actual play, the same could be said about the Rockets who are essentially a reloading team if these next couple weeks don't drastically change the course. So why would the Rockets give up a valuable expiring contract for crap contracts? For that reason I sincerely doubt the Rockets trade Ty Lawson the 12 mil expiring contact for X role players with non-expiring contracts.
Its a shame we are so impulsive. A few things stick out; have we performed better with Bev starting? I still see the **** out there, just our opponents are weaker. I say start Ty let them figure it out. The ideal PG next to harden is eric bledsoe. A secondary playmaker, good spot up 3pt shooter, and very good defensive tools.
I feel Morey should make a ballsy move and if need be trade Lawson for TJ McConnell straight up. In light of Pringles joining the Sixers and how he wanted the Nuggets coaching job after Shaw was fired... Two team trade scenario: Sixers: Lawson. Rockets: McConnell + Canaan (filler) + TPE generated. Three team trade scenario: Sixers: Lawson. Rockets: McConnell + Markieff/Anderson/Gallo/Ilyasova/Frye/Nene/etc... (all these forwards would work from a salary perspective). 3rd Team: Jones + Canaan.
Given the uncertainties even then that was a pretty masterful stroke. Sadly it speaks to Lawson's past confidence in himself which hasn't borne out. I don't have any info but personally I attribute the drop off in his game to his quitting drinking. I quit drinking. Lots of times. And then for good a few years ago. It changes you. Ideally it changes you for the better. But when you quit that thing that made you loose is gone and you get tight. Ideally you eventually overcome it. (I haven't. Not yet.) I'm not an athlete or anything but I do shoot pool and bowl and throw darts and all my games tightened up and went wrong when I quit drinking and they still aren't what they were. I wasn't great or anything but I was okay and I enjoyed playing those games. I don't so much anymore because I'm too tight. So on the one hand I'm not as good and on the other hand I'm not having as much fun doing it which makes it harder for me to focus which makes me worse. And I wasn't always drinking while I played -- not at all -- but I was loose in general just from being a drinker. Just a theory, but that is my theory on Ty Lawson. Without some sort of theory it's really hard to understand his game going south so abruptly. And a really major thing did happen in his life. In fact his life changed in fundamental ways and we know from the pictures that he used to enjoy a drink with Harden. I can tell you as an ex-drinker that isn't happening anymore. And being a theatre director I know the effect it can have on a "team" that does a good bit of its bonding and chemistry-building over alcohol when it stops doing that. I hope I'm wrong because if I'm right I don't know what the solution is except time. And I guess we can't give him that kind of time here. Maybe he lands somewhere where he can get that time and learn how to live his new life in a productive way that allows him to find his way back to his game because he was really something like really recently. I feel for the guy.
Didn't Harden say before the season began that HE was looking forward to playing more off the ball with Lawson around? I haven't been watching this season, so did the team just never try that, or did they try it and Lawson couldn't handle it? I thought the entire point of getting Lawson was to have an actual facilitating point guard, so Harden wasn't doing everything. Did the coaching just never actually try to do that or had no idea how to? That wouldn't surprise me.
SemisoldSnake, Lawson had some good games in our 4 game win streak after the 0-3 start. But during and after the 4 straight losses following that, he was doing so poorly McHale had to pull him to start Bev. He just started sucking and looked lost anyway you slice it. Don't give much credence to people placing blame on coaches and Harden. Lawson sucked all on his own.
quick check, looks like 6-2 But those were some pretty bad teams. LA twice and 76ers, Kings and NOLA once. Lost to Nets with that lineup.
No. Ariza missed a game. Jones started against Mavs and Den. DMo started once Pretty sure it was 6-2.
The Rockets will end up cutting him so that he can go to the team of his choice, as a favor to Fegan and payback for his waiver of next year's salary. This is the same agent Morey promised he wouldn't pick up Chandler's option. He probably also promised Fegan / Dwight he would never trade Dwight without his approval.
