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Ty Lawson may be waived – Should Portland pursue?

By David MacKay

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Denver Nuggets point guard Ty Lawson was arrested on suspicion of his second DUI in six months Tuesday morning. The incident has torpedoed Lawson’s value to the Nuggets organization, so much so that they may not be able to unload him via trade as they had hoped. It is now thought that the Nuggets will consider waiving him.

Lawson is owed more than $25M over the next two seasons, so the Nuggets would be taking $12M+ cap hits each year if they waive him without using the stretch provision. With the stretch provision, though, they could space the payments out over four or five years to maximize their financial flexibility. Teams would be unlikely to claim the troublesome guard off waivers for his current salary, which would absolve the Nuggets of any payment.

There are teams, however, that would look to sign Lawson to an entirely new contract once he cleared waivers. Should the Trail Blazers be one of those teams? After all, Lawson, 27, is a tremendously gifted player that may be had for cheap. At what point does on-court talent trump off-court toxicity?

Lawson averaged a career-high 9.6 assists per game in 2014-15; good for third-most in the league, just behind John Wall and just ahead of Russell Westbrook. He kicked in 15.4 points of his own per game as well. That is the kind of production the Trail Blazers should be dreaming about as they try to fill out their thin backcourt. They have plenty of money to bring him on board.

Feb 23, 2015; Denver, CO, USA; Denver Nuggets guard Ty Lawson (3) during the game against the Brooklyn Nets at Pepsi Center. Mandatory Credit: Chris Humphreys-USA TODAY Sports

This could end up being a Josh Smith type situation. Last season, the Detroit Pistons swallowed $26M in order to relieve themselves of Smith, who signed with the Rockets for a mere $2M. Granted, the Trail Blazers would have to pay more than that for a full season of Lawson, and they are not trying to add pieces to make themselves an immediate contender, but the thought of adding talent of that caliber for pennies on the dollar is tantalizing.

On the other hand, rarely is it a good idea to sign a problem player to a team full of impressionable youth. It is easy to see how Lawson not having his affairs in order could have a negative impact on a team; especially the Trail Blazers, who remember the franchise low-point “Jail Blazer” era all too clearly.

Bear in mind, though, that Lawson’s problems may be temporary. It is far from unheard of for someone to realize the error of their ways and make a change for the better. If there is an ideal environment for an NBA player to undergo a wholesome metamorphosis, it’s Portland.

The harsh split between Lawson’s beneficial contributions and detrimental behavior creates some ambivalence that needs to be hashed out in the event of possible pursuit. Problem player or not, Lawson’s talent is something all potentially interested teams need to take stock of if he is eventually waived.

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