Buried under a flurry of much bigger trades on the day, (Shaq going to the Cavs, Vince going to the Magic, Jefferson going to the Spurs, #5 overall going to the T-Wolves, and a ton of others dealing with draft prospects) the Nuggets made a very underrated move in picking up Ty Lawson from the Minnesota T-Wolves for a future 1st round pick. People thought the Wolves were crazy picking their 3rd PG in a row after Rubio and Flynn went 5 and 6, until it was found out that Lawson was shipped out.
Lawson is a perfect match for the Nuggets. He can learn from Chauncey Billups, one of the smartest in the game. Chauncey is getting old and Lawson could easily step in once Billups retires or leaves.
Lawson was the best college PG last year, leading his team to a national championship. He’s a proven leader that doesn’t need to score to be effective. He is a beast in the transition game, (which the Nugs love) handles the ball well without turning it over, and can play good pressure defense. He’s 21 and is one of those players that doesn’t need a lot of work to be productive in the L, unlike early picks such as Thabeet and Rubio.
Overall, I’m pretty excited about this move. Instead of sitting back on draft day like usual, the Nuggets were actually active and jumped on a great player that could fit their system. George Karl has a tendency to leave his rooks on the bench except for garbage time, but maybe since Lawson comes from his alma-matter, UNC, he will give him some burn.
Draft day trade sends Lawson to the Rocky Mountains
