Ty Lawson has spent the past few years improving his craft with the Denver Nuggets but after six NBA seasons with the same squad, it seems clear that he would like to be traded to another team. Lawson is still under contract with the Nuggets for the next two seasons but he is set to make upwards of $12 million and there are some that feel Denver would be better off trading him now and acquiring assets that will help them down the line.
Considering that the team isn’t close to contending for a championship and that Lawson has made it pretty clear with his behavior that he would like to be moved, it makes sense that the Nuggets will trade him this offseason. Here is a look at four better fantasy situations for Lawson than his current position in Denver.
Dallas Mavericks
The Mavericks’ desperation to land a star point guard led them to trade for Rajon Rondo this season. After that move clearly didn’t pan out there, is a good chance they will have even more urgency this offseason as they look to add a star at the position. Dallas is already a playoff team and with Monta Ellis, Dirk Nowitzki and Tyson Chandler all back for next season, it’s clear that Lawson could thrive with the Mavericks from a fantasy perspective. Lawson would be able to log big minutes ahead of J.J. Barea and playing in a bigger market for a contender with a much stronger supporting cast in Dallas would be a much better situation than the one he is in now with Denver.
Los Angeles Lakers
The Lakers were among the teams considering the most likely to add Rondo during the season and while the rumors have persisted, they could be persuaded to consider adding Lawson if he was made available. Rondos’ stock certainly didn’t improve at all when he was banished by the Mavericks and Lawson is both younger and more talented at this point in his career. If the Lakers were willing to part with a couple of draft picks or maybe even take on salary, they could add a young star in Lawson. That could help the franchise get in to position to add with a loaded free agent crop the following year that could vault them back in to a championship contender status.
New Orleans Pelicans
Eric Gordon has a player option for one more year with the Pelicans but if they were willing to trade him and his expiring contract to Denver, along with a couple of draft picks, it could be enough to sway the Nuggets to trade Lawson to New Orleans. Gordon’s play has clearly dropped off but the ability to have him for only one year and acquire a couple of draft picks in the process might make sense for Denver in this spot. Lawson would join a team that already includes an MVP candidate in Anthony Davis as well as a stronger supporting cast than what he already has with the Nuggets, so it would certainly be a better situation for him in New Orleans.
New York Knicks
There are many around the NBA that believe the Knicks performance last season was more of an aberration than the standard to expect for the next couple of years and that certainly makes a lot of sense considering they will have Carmelo Anthony back as well as potentially the first-overall pick in this year’s NBA Draft. And that’s on top of whoever else they can acquire with a ton of cap space to use in free agency. Acquiring Lawson would make a lot of sense for New York as they look to speed up their transition to becoming a championship contender and a starting five that includes Lawson, Anthony, DeAndre Jordan and Jahlil Okafor would seem ideal. Factor in that Lawson would instantly become one of the top point guards in the Eastern Conference while playing in a huge market and suddenly New York seems like an ideal situation for him moving forward.
