It’s been an interesting first three months for Ty Lawson and the Houston Rockets. Lawson came to H-Town from Denver with promise and high expectations, but instead took the Rockets on a roller coaster ride during the first half of the 2015-16 season. He was the team’s starting point guard for a couple weeks before being benched in favor of defensive specialist Patrick Beverley. He’s been suspended twice as a result of prior DUI arrests during his time with the Nuggets. Most notably, he’s been shopped around the league as the Rockets attempt to get back on track.
For now, however, it appears general manager Daryl Morey is willing to give his prized offseason addition another chance to live up to his potential, per USA Today‘s Sam Amick:
More Rockets: I'm told they expect to keep Ty Lawson past Feb. 18 trade deadline. Recent chatter about Bucks, but they're rolling w/ him.
— Sam Amick (@sam_amick) January 22, 2016
Houston’s change of heart likely has more to do with a limited market than Lawson’s recent play. Over 60 total minutes in his last three games, the 28-year-old has accrued 10 points and eight assists. Combined.
When you add in the league-wide depth at Lawson’s position, his $12.4 million salary for this season and his putrid numbers (6.6 points, 3.6 assists, 39.2 percent shooting), it’s understandable if suitors weren’t lining up to give Morey a call.
However, a lot can change between now and the Feb. 18 trade deadline. That’s why it’s up to Lawson to show the Rockets they aren’t making a mistake by keeping him.
While Lawson’s first season in Houston has gotten off to a rocky start, there have been times (albeit few and far between) where he’s looked like the player the Rockets traded four players and a second-round pick for.
Offensively, his elite speed and quick handles can make him a matchup nightmare, especially for slow-footed big men:
Lawson could become a valuable asset to the Rockets’ offense if he can find a way to consistently make plays like the one above. According to NBA.com, he’s converting 40.4 percent of his shots when driving to the hoop, but he’s only averaging 1.3 takes per game.
His ability to penetrate also opens up scoring opportunities for his teammates. Lawson’s assist percentage when attacking the basket is 16.5 percent, which is better than All-Star point guard Chris Paul’s 16 percent. Lawson is also second on the team in overall assist percentage, despite having the 12th-highest usage rate, per Basketball-Reference.com.
When Lawson is able to drive and dish, it leads to more plays like this:
Additionally, Lawson’s turnover percentage on drives is just 6.5 percent. By comparison, fellow Rocket James Harden is at 11.1 percent, though The Beard attacks the basket nearly four more times per game. If Lawson can be more aggressive, that’ll add another dimension to the offense:
Lawson can also help his cause by recapturing his groove from three-point range. The former Tar Heel is shooting just 32.5 percent from deep this season, the worst effort of his seven years in the league, but he’s a 36.6 percent career three-point shooter. The Rockets have led the league in three-point attempts per game in each of the last three seasons, including this year where they produce a nightly clip of 30.6 treys. Houston can become even more dangerous from the outside if Lawson can be more like the shooter he was in Denver.
Or, if he can start hitting shots like this more often:
QB Ty Lawson? Too bad this didn't count! pic.twitter.com/EtH6lTDTNe
— Rockets Nation (@Rockets__Nation) January 29, 2016
Sure, the shot was long after the buzzer, but why let facts get in the way of a good highlight, right?
Lawson’s even made plays on the defensive end, though that remains the area of his game that needs the most work:
The Rockets have a defensive rating of 106.5 this season when Lawson is on the floor, which is still better than how they’ve fared when Harden (107.5) or Trevor Ariza (108.2) take the court. However, when Lawson sits, that number only shrinks to 106. Opponents are also shooting 2.4 percent better with him defending, but converting 6.3 percent less from three. Still, it’s hard to knock his inability to get stops when the Rockets as a whole are 25th in defensive efficiency.
Lawson’s disappointing production truly embodies the Rockets’ season thus far. Like Houston, he has the talent to be better than the numbers suggest, but the light just hasn’t come on yet.
Now with the club giving him a second chance on his second chance, the pressure is on Lawson to be a full-time contributor in more than a part-time basis.