Ty Lawson has been a part of the Denver Nuggets long term plans since 2009. He has the been the leader the team has needed on the court but outside of basketball, his antics have come back to haunt him at full force. But the Nuggets, at least publicly, and standing by his side – or at least willing to move him to a better situation.
Lawson has been arrested not once but twice in 2015 for suspicion of DUI. Plus, the excellent play of the Nuggets first round draft pick Emmanuel Mudiay has made Denver take a hard look at Lawson and if he really is what’s best for business for the future of the Nuggets franchise.
Nuggets new head coach Mike Malone feels that Lawson is still a viable part of the Nuggets and hopes that the point guard will continue to play in blue and gold. In a recent interview with Grantland, Malone spoke highly of the UNC product and hopes that he will be back suiting up for Denver this upcoming season.
When asked about if he has contacted Lawson since his DUI arrest, Malone said, “Yeah. I’ve reached out, but there hasn’t been a lot of contact. He has a lot going on right now. We’re gonna see how this whole process shakes out.”
Malone was also asked about Lawson’s future in Denver, to which he responded: “Of course. If that changes You go from there. But as of now, Ty Lawson is a part of the future of the Denver Nuggets family.”
Malone speaks highly of Lawson but does not count out the possibility that the point guard could very well be in another team’s jersey by the time October rolls around.
Lawson is headed to rehab, followed by court-ordered monitored alcohol monitoring. And with the impressive play of Mudiay in the summer league, his stock is rapidly plummeting. However, there are still a few teams who want Lawson’s services.
Despite just getting arrested, teams like the Los Angeles Lakers, Houston Rockets and the Detroit Pistons all have expressed interest in the point guard.
Chris Mannix of Sports Illustrated reported that the Rockets and Lakers are currently the front runners for Lawson. Mannix also said that the Sacramento Kings are in play with a deal involving Lawson and Rudy Gay.
Despite all the turmoil over the past six-plus months, there remains a silver lining for Lawson. The Nuggets’ new head coach is saying the right things and other teams seem willing to give the talented point guard a new life in the NBA.
Marcus Flowers, a Mile High Sports intern and Claflin University student, contributed to this report