The Indiana Pacers added depth at the point guard position. They signed veteran free agent Ty Lawson for the rest of the season. This is in hopes of making a playoff run. According to ESPN, Lawson said, “This is a good opportunity for me to come here, try to help the Pacers win and get into the playoffs. I’m just ready to play and do whatever is needed.” Lawson is expected to be the backup point guard to George Hill.
Lawson brings plenty of experience to the Pacers. He is in his 7th NBA season. This year has been one to forget for him to this point. Lawson was traded to the Rockets from the Nuggets in the summer. He averaged 5.8 points per game, the lowest in his NBA career in a Rockets uniform. Lawson played so poorly that the Rockets benched him and eventually cut him.
NBA.com stated that President of Basketball Operations for the Indiana Pacers Larry Bird said, “We’re glad to have Ty come play with the Pacers for this final run of the season. We think he brings added speed to our backcourt, he can get up and down the floor and he helps strengthen our second unit.”
This is a decent move for the Pacers. Lawson isn’t used to coming off the bench, but he will adjust. When he is on the court, he can be a leader and try to push the pace. This should assist the Pacers in their playoff quest. Once they make the playoffs, his experience will pay off. The Pacers now have more of a veteran presence. Lawson has appeared in 24 playoff games, all with the Denver Nuggets. In those games he averaged 16.1 points per game. The Nuggets were not successful in the playoffs. Lawson has only reached the second round once and that was back in the 2010 season. The Nuggets went all the way to the Western Conference Finals before falling to the Lakers. The Pacers are hoping that Lawson will be the missing piece for them in the Eastern Conference. Time will only tell.
What do you think of Ty Lawson joining the Indiana Pacers?
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