Point guard Ty Lawson has seen his fair share of ups and downs in recent years. After the Houston Rockets traded for him before the 2015 season, Lawson slogged through a dismal season and multiple suspensions. He was subsequently released by the Rockets via buyout on March 1. Was this a blessing in disguise or just another stop of Lawson's suddenly tumultuous NBA career?
The Indiana Pacers signed Lawson one week later with the hopes that he would strengthen the backup point guard position. However, Lawson was largely ineffective in the 13 regular season games and seven playoff games he appeared in. If Lawson was hoping to re-establish his value before becoming an unrestricted free agent on July 1, well, let's just say that no one is going to come calling with any max offers this summer.
Pacers president Larry Bird and new head coach Nate McMillian addressed Lawson's pending free agency in a recent interview.
"I felt comfortable when Ty Lawson was here making plays and getting up and down the court," Bird said.
"I was in the West for a number of years coaching against the guy," McMillan added. "He has the speed and he certainly has the game to establish that tempo. When he was in Denver under (George) Karl, he was deadly. There's probably one other guy that has that type of speed - John Wall. So Ty certainly could be the guy to establish that tempo."
There won't be much of a market for Lawson in free agency, so the Pacers could re-sign for a relatively inexpensive price. Lawson averaged just 2.3 points, 1.4 assists and 1 rebound in the post-season. His regular season numbers weren't much better (5.7 points, 3.5 assists, 1.8 rebounds).
However, Lawson is just one year removed from averaging 15.2 points and 9.6 assists during the 2014-15 season. He's a career 36 percent shooting from three-point range and is still just 28 years old. If motivated and healthy, Lawson is the type of low-risk, high-reward move that Bird should be taking. He can still help a winning team.
Let's wait and see if Lawson receives a second chance in Indiana.
Follow Brandon Katz at @Great_Katzby
