The Denver Nuggets are looking to move their disgruntled point guard by setting up a reunion with his former head coach.
Ty Lawson is being shopped to the Sacramento Kings in exchange for the sixth pick in this summer's draft, but the Kings have thus far rebuffed the offer, reports ESPN's Chad Ford.
It's also no great secret that Lawson and Denver's relationship has soured. Lawson clashed with former head coach Brian Shaw and was reportedly told by Nuggets GM Tim Connelly to "grow up." On Denver's end, Lawson's history of missing practices and a DUI arrest certainly didn't win him any favors.
Dealing Lawson would effectively signal the team's intent to rebuild, as the Nuggets have followed up a 57-win season in 2012-13 with two highly disappointing sub-.500 seasons. The sixth pick could potentially net Denver a blue chip prospect to build around for the future. The Nuggets also hold the seventh pick in this year's draft.
As for the Kings, they hired former Nuggets bench boss George Karl last season and their interest in finding a permanent solution at point guard has been well-documented.
Lawson played under Karl for the first four seasons of his career where he posted per-36 averages of 16.5 points and 6.6 assists on 38 percent shooting from deep. He fits Karl's high-tempo offense and would thrive as a pass-first guard alongside the Kings' ball-dominant duo of Rudy Gay and DeMarcus Cousins. With two affordable seasons ($12.4 million, $13.2 million) remaining on his deal, Lawson seems like a logical fit in Sacramento.
However, Lawson's price is a significant hurdle. The Kings would have to deal some outgoing salary to accommodate Lawson's $12.4 million, which might mean parting with a prospect, or somehow convincing Denver to take on dead salary in the form of Jason Thompson ($6.4 million) or Carl Landry ($6.5 million).
There's also the matter of Darren Collison, who posted a career-high of 16.1 points to go along with 5.6 assists in his first season with the Kings last year. Lawson's track record as a starting point guard certainly trumps that of Collison's, but creating a point guard controversy at the price of the sixth pick seems illogical.
Lawson averaged 15.2 points and 9.6 assists in 75 games played with the Nuggets last season.
