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Nuggets' Malone: 'We wish Ty well ... I hope he's able to get his life in order'

Chris Humphreys-USA TODAY Sports / reuters

Despite enduring through a messy breakup after six successful seasons together, the Denver Nuggets harbor no ill-will toward point guard Ty Lawson.

The Nuggets traded Lawson to the Houston Rockets this summer after Lawson caught his second DUI in the span of six months. Prior to his legal troubles, Lawson made no secret of wanting to get traded.

However, Nuggets head coach Mike Malone only wishes the best for Lawson.

"We wish Ty well," Malone told Chris Dempsey of the Denver Post. "I mean that sincerely. That’s not just coach talk. We all wish him well. But it was a move that we felt was a good move for us.

"I hope he’s able to get his life in order," Malone added. "And when he does, we all know he’s a special player."

Malone's words echo that of Nuggets owner Josh Kroenke, who detailed Lawson's run-ins with alcohol shortly after Lawson was dealt.

"I love Ty and will always love Ty," Kroenke said. "But once I saw him going down this dark path, we knew that we probably were going to end up in a situation where we were dumping him."

As Kroenke outlined, Lawson battled issues with alcohol for several years. He would occasionally show up at practice reeking of booze. As Lawson's own agent Happy Walters has said, "he is going to spend time working on himself; basketball will come after."

Denver's trade with Houston affords Lawson a second chance and by all accounts, Lawson is making a concerted effort to correct his behavior. He completed a court-ordered 30-day alcohol rehabilitation stint and Rockets teammate James Harden said that Lawson is "more focused than ever."

If Lawson can return to form, the speedy guard could diversify Houston's one-man offense. Even in a down year. Lawson averaged 15.2 points, 9.6 assists, and 1.2 steals. A fully healthy Lawson will certainly appease Harden, who griped about the need for another ball-handler after last year's failed postseason.

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