Ty Lawson is again in trouble with the law with his second DUI this summer, according to TMZ:
"Denver Nuggets star Ty Lawson got busted for DUI in Los Angeles last night — his second DUI arrest this year.TMZ Sports has learned Lawson was pulled over by CHP for speeding on the 101 Freeway early this morning … and officers determined he showed signs of intoxication … so they gave him a field sobriety test.Didn’t go so good for Lawson. He was arrested around 2:30 AM.Cops say during the arrest, Lawson identified himself as an NBA player — and was carrying $6,000 IN CASH on his person."
TMZ also had a video from a conversation they had with Lawson prior to the arrest, check it out on their site. This is Lawson’s 2nd DUI charge in the past 6 months.
Lawson was already seemingly available on the trade market prior to this recent arrest. His current team, the Denver Nuggets, drafted Emmanuel Mudiay and brought in Jameer Nelson in free agency to man the point guard position. Video surfaced of Lawson saying he was heading to the Kings when the Nuggets drafted Mudiay.
Before this most recent arrest, belief was that the Nuggets were not just looking to dump the talented point guard but were looking for talent in return. Now, their leverage is pretty much gone and they could be looking just to dump Lawson after his most recent arrest.
That is where the Cleveland Cavaliers could come in to play. The Cavs are still looking for talent for their roster and have the ever talked about Brendan Haywood contract to allow them to absorb salary. So should the Cavs take a swing at Lawson? Is he worth the risk?
Like any good decision lets go back and forth with a Pros and Cons list:
Pro: Lawson has averaged over 15 points a game for the past 4 seasons, topping out at 17.6 in ’13-14.
Con: The Cavs already have Kyrie Irving, LeBron James and Kevin Love to score points.
Pro: Lawson averaged over 9 assists a game the last two seasons.
Con: Kyrie and LeBron play with the ball in their hands a lot.
Pro: Lawson has shot 37% from 3 point range for his career.
Con: Most of those shots came as the primary ball handler, not in catch and shoot chances.
Pro: Lawson is the most talented player the Cavs might be able to acquire with the BHC.
Con: There is a reason(s), Lawson might be available very cheap for the Cavs, specifically his current legal situations.
Pro: The Cavs, specifically LeBron, helped keep J.R. Smith in order and engaged.
Con: Every player is different and Lawson’s issues have been substance/legal.
Pro: Lawson could play with Williams as the bench backcourt full of offense.
Con: Not a lot of size or defense with those two.
Pro: The Cavs have good to great defenders in Iman Shumpert, Tristan Thompson, Timofey Mozgov, Matthew Dellavedova and LeBron James to help Lawson on that end of the court.
Con: Lawson is a diminutive 5’11” and 195 point guard who has struggled defending most of his career.
Pro: The Cavs are looking for playmakers, much like Golden State had, and Lawson is surely one of those, both for himself and for others.
Con: The Cavs would still lack a decent backup small forward for LeBron.
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Pro: Lawson is only 27 years old and is under contract for 2 more seasons, joining a young core.
Con: That contract is for over $12 million each year, a ton for Dan Gilbert to pay in Luxury Tax for a backup PG.
Pro: Cavs leadership could get Lawson to buy in to his role as the Warriors did David Lee and Andre Iguodala, giving them dynamite off the bench.
Con: Lawson has been a starter for years and is a strong willed player. Tough to get him to buy in.
So there you have our Pros and Cons list for the Cavs taking a swing at Ty Lawson. Obviously it is a move that is unlikely but, like all good decisions, GM David Griffin will likely process all that we just did, and more, to make his.
What do you think about the Cavs possibly pursuing Ty Lawson? Any Pros or Cons we missed?