A few days ago, the Sacramento Kings signed point guard Ty Lawson to a one-year contract with the terms of the deal not disclosed.
In many ways, this deal could be a show-me contract just like Rajon Rondo’s contract last season. Like Rondo, Lawson is a talented point guard with some baggage in his past and is in need of a bounce-back year in the worst way.
Rondo needed to erase the memory of him quitting in Dallas and Lawson needs to regain the form he had in Denver or he may be out of the league entirely very soon.
Last year, in both Houston and Indiana, Lawson’s numbers plummeted. Points, assists, rebounds, field goal percentage and almost everything else was down from the year before.
For Rondo, that reemergence came under the coaching of George Karl and, coincidentally, many of Lawson’s best years came under Karl. Yes, the styles were different, but both found a way to find success. Here are a few positives and negatives for Rondo and Lawson under Karl.
Positives for Rondo:
Last year was Rondo’s best season in years. He averaged 11.9 points, 11.7 assists and two steals per game and looked like the Rondo of old. The way he could pass to an open player seemed effortless to him. The Kings were number one in pace, which was really fun to watch.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a8iEe5tofTA
Negatives for Rondo:
However, the problem for Rondo was his shooting. If you look at Rondo’s true shooting percentage it’s frightening. For the record, true shooting percentage (TS%) takes into account 2’s, 3’s and free throws. It’s an all-encompassing look at how well someone is as a shooter.
Rondo’s TS% last year was 50.6 percent. Understand that last year Darren Collison, the backup point guard of the Kings, had a TS% of 59.1 percent. And to make matters even worse, Tony Allen shot 50.5 percent last year.
This is the same Tony Allen who the Warriors literally left open on purpose in the playoffs two years ago. Rondo is not to be trusted as a shooter.
Positives for Lawson:
Circling back to Lawson’s positives, his best year came during the 2011-12 season. Lawson was 24 years old and entering his third year in George Karl’s system and this was the season where Lawson could show his true potential after the Nuggets traded Carmelo Anthony the year before.
In his first year as a full-time starter, Lawson averaged 16.4, 6.6 assists and 1.3 steals a game. With Anthony off of the team, the Nuggets relied heavily on Lawson and he delivered.
The best way to describe Lawson’s impact is to look at the playoff series Lawson had against the Los Angeles Lakers in the first round.
In a game three victory, Lawson had 25 points, seven assists and two steals. Not only that, but he was aggressive getting to the rim and creating space for a jumper.
His success continued as Lawson had 32 points on 5-of-6 from behind the arc in a season-saving Game 6 victory.
Negatives for Lawson:
For Lawson, his flaw was lack of help and poor shot distribution. Lawson was relied on too much and it hurt the offense in the playoffs. Usually in the playoffs, you need someone who can be a reliable scorer. You need someone who can create his own shot at will.
The Nuggets didn’t have one of those and sometimes asked Lawson to be that guy. Lawson took the most shots in the playoffs and in three of the seven games scored 11 or fewer points. That can’t happen from your number one option, especially if he’s also leading the team in assists.
It’s hard to have your point guard be both your leader in shot attempts and assists and be a successful team.
Yes, the Warriors have done it but Lawson, Arron Afflalo and Danilo Gallinari isn’t the same as Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green. You can’t blame Lawson for being asked to do more than he was capable of.
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For those wondering, here’s a quick look at some of the stats for both Rondo and Lawson in their best seasons under George Karl.
Rondo (2015-16): 11.9 PPG 11.7 APG 6.0 RPG 45.4% FG 36.5% 3Pt 58% FT 2.0 SPG
Lawson (2011-12): 16.4 PPG 6.6 APG 3.7 RPG 48.8% FG 36.5% 3Pt 82.4% FT 1.3 SPG
For Lawson, fans hope that he can regain the form he had in Denver. Clearly the man has talent. Hopefully he can bounce back after a rocky year in both Houston and Indiana.
Is it the perfect signing? No, but that doesn’t mean that Lawson can’t come in and help the Kings out in an area of need.
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