Rockets acquire point guard Ty Lawson from Nuggets

The Denver Nuggets have so far not changed their minds as far as trading Ty Lawson is concerned and multiple teams are reportedly interested in the 5-foot-11-inch guard who was the 18th overall pick in the 2009 National Basteball Association Draft. Lawson’s acquisition gives Houston an extremely formidable starting five on paper, and the bench should get a little boost from jitterbug point guard Pat Beverly joining the group.

Lawson’s trade value had plummeted recently, and even more so after he received his second DUI in six months a week ago. When the Rockets go small – Dwight Howard and center, surrounded by Trevor Ariza, James Harden, Beverley and Lawson, they’ll be very unsafe offensively.

On its face, the deal seems to work for both teams. The Spurs added LaMarcus Aldridge, the top free agent (available) this offseason, and will likely be just as good if not better than they were previous year, when they finished one game behind Houston for the division title. Three weeks later, Lawson was popped for DUI again.

Lawson has become more expendable with each passing summer league game, in which Emmanuel Mudiay is showing he does have what it takes to be a star player in the National Basteball Association.

Lawson also averaged 3.1 rebounds and 1.2 steals during the 2014-15 season.

A mentally engaged Lawson offers a dimension the Rockets need. In addition to Lawson, the Rockets will receive a 2017 second-round draft pick.

The Rockets struggled to get their machine going and had to improvise. And now he’s off to Houston, where the Rockets hope to have bought a talented player low. How would Beverley’s teammates feel about him losing his job if Lawson isn’t all the way up to speed or he’s not doing the right things off the floor?

It’s not like the Rockets aren’t used to picking up players who’ve had issues with their previous team: see Josh Smith.

Why would the Nuggets want to move on from Gallinari?