RUMOR: Nuggets Want to Trade Ty Lawson for George Hill

Feb 4, 2015; Boston, MA, USA; Denver Nuggets point guard Ty Lawson (3) reacts in the final seconds of the fourth quarter against the Boston Celtics at TD Garden. The Boston Celtics won 104-100. Mandatory Credit: Greg M. Cooper-USA TODAY Sports
Feb 4, 2015; Boston, MA, USA; Denver Nuggets point guard Ty Lawson (3) reacts in the final seconds of the fourth quarter against the Boston Celtics at TD Garden. The Boston Celtics won 104-100. Mandatory Credit: Greg M. Cooper-USA TODAY Sports /
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Brian Shaw left his assistant coach job on the Indiana Pacers bench to take the Denver Nuggets head coaching job, and now he wants his old point guard to join him. That’s the latest from Chris Broussard of ESPN anyway.

He reported that Denver wants to move Ty Lawson, and one option the team likes is trading him to the Pacers in exchange for George Hill.

George Hill had a rough go of things last season, but he has easily been the MVP of the Indiana Pacers so far this season in limited minutes. In games he has played, the team is 9-6 (.600) compared to 12-27 (.308) when he sits.

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In his 15 games this year, Hill is shooting 46.6%, including 40.0% from 3-point range, while leading the team with 21.2 points per 36 minutes and a 22.2 player efficiency rating.

Meanwhile, Lawson is averaging his fewest points per 36 minutes this season since 2010-11, and his field-goal percentage remains way down from its early-career highs (44.7% this year vs. 48.8% or better during the first three years of his career). He has been an excellent playmaker this season, however, averaging 9.8 assists per 36, and he is clearly an upgrade over Hill in terms of running an offense and just generally being a point guard.

The pundits on ye olde Twittersphere have a divided view about how exchanging Hill for Lawson would help the Indiana Pacers.

People also have general opinions about Lawson and Goran Dragic, who is another player rumored to be on the Indiana Pacers wish list and one they may trade pieces away to make cap room for.

Perhaps Kevin Yeung has it most correct.

As with Dragic, however, the main issue for the Pacers — presuming they have any interest in such a deal, which I question — is money.

Ty Lawson is due to make $25.6 million over the next two seasons compared to just $16.0 million for Hill. Both contracts end in the summer of of 2017, but that is a lot more money for the Pacers to take on for the future.

More limiting — as least as far as a straight-up trade goes — is Lawson’s higher salary this season.

The Pacers are only $1.6 million under the luxury tax threshold this season, and they are almost certain not to exceed that figure. So they will not take on the extra $4.4 million of Lawson’s contract.

Indiana would have to ship something else out. It stands to reason that Larry Bird might want to get out from the final year of Ian Mahinmi’s deal, even though he is generally a positive player. He is simply replaceable and his $4.0 million salary would fit perfectly to make the money in a deal like this nearly even. (Luis Scola or C.J. Miles or some combination of other, lower-salaried players could also work.)

Would Denver take the final year of Mahinmito get Brian Shaw’s “pupil”?

I doubt it.

And I actually doubt that Brian Shaw has much sway in the decision-making process in Denver’s front office. Last I heard, I thought he was sitting on the hot seat.

And I also doubt that the Pacers would ever prefer to pay Lawson, who is a major defensive downgrade from Hill, that much more to play point guard for them when they already have a capable player. Especially since that capable player is playing arguably the best ball of his tenure in Indiana right now and this team wants to make the playoffs. And that capable player also has long arms that help Frank Vogel continue to put one of the best defenses in the league on the floor every year.

So, yeah, probably nothing to see here, folks.

Next: Pacers Interested in Reggie Jackson

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