This series examines the Sacramento Kings players’ most recent season giving them a performance grade. Today we will take a look at Ty Lawson.
Ty Lawson entered the 2016-2017 season at a crossroads in his career. He had starred for six seasons with the Denver Nuggets after being drafted eighteenth overall in 2009 NBA Draft. Arrests and locker room upheaval led to Lawson being traded to the Houston Rockets in 2015. Lawson flamed out with the Rockets and the Indiana Pacers that season. He was a free agent after that troubled season and the options were not plentiful, but he found a home.
The Sacramento Kings swooped in and signed Lawson to a one-year deal. The Kings did not have much to lose and needed a backup point guard behind Darren Collison. Lawson had no other serious suitors, so it appeared a match made of necessity rather than genuine interest.
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Ty Lawson rewarded the Kings with impactful production. Today, we will take an in-depth look at his on-court exploits. I will give him a grade for his offensive, defensive, and overall contributions this regular season and then close with some final thoughts including if the Kings should bring him back next campaign. Let us roll right into it.
IMPORTANT DISCLAIMER: For this series, the players on the Kings will be graded on a curve, meaning that the grades handed out to each player reflect more about their ranking on the team rather than their actual performance output.
OFFENSE: Grade- A-
Ty Lawson did not bounce all the way back to his peak in Denver, but he provided the Kings with quality offensive minutes any time he was the court. Lawson averaged 9.9 points, 4.9 assists, 0.5 three-pointers made, and 1.9 turnovers per game in his 69 games played this season. Those are robust numbers when you realize he made those averages in just 25.1 minutes per game. Lawson shot 45.4% from the field, and 79.7% from the free throw line, as well. The numbers looked healthy overall for Mister Lawson.
Below is a highlight video of Ty Lawson’s November 18 contest against the LA Clippers. One of Lawson’s best performances of the season happened that night, and the video shows some of his on-court abilities. Enjoy.
The area on offense where Lawson struggled was his three-point shooting. A career 35.9% shooter from distance (or relatively league average), he shot a miserable 28.8% this season. His three-point percentage has gone down almost every single season of his career. If Lawson cannot regain his three-point touch, he will be less efficient and desirable on the offensive end of the floor next season.
The advanced metrics rated Lawson as one of the Kings best offensive pieces. (All advanced metrics courtesy of Basketball-Reference. Lawson earned offensive win shares of positive 2.2 which ranked third on the Kings behind Darren Collison and the departed DeMarcus Cousins. He, also, made a positive 0.2 offensive box score plus/minus contribution.
The solid percentages from the field and free throw line plus the great advanced metrics led me to give Lawson an A- grade. It would have been an A+ especially given that it greatly exceeded my expectations if it was not for the poor three-point shooting.
DEFENSE: Grade- B+
Ty Lawson played well on the defensive end of the floor this season. He averaged 2.6 rebounds, 1.1 steals, 0.1 blocks, and 1.7 personal fouls per game. Given the minute’s load, those numbers look solid. Let us take a peek at some advanced metrics because they portray a clearer picture of an NBA player’s defensive performance.
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Ty Lawson earned a positive 1.0 defensive win share this season. That ranked seventh on the Kings, but two players ahead of him where Matt Barnes and DeMarcus Cousins, two players who ended the season, not as members of the Kings roster. Lawson earned a defensive box score plus/minus rating of negative 1.5 or twelfth on the team. Sacramento was a bad defensive squad, and Lawson often played with the reserve unit that was leaky on the defensive end.
Overall, I was impressed with Lawson’s defensive play. He is an undersized point guard (listed at 5’11) who uses his speed and quickness to defend on the perimeter. I remembered Lawson from his Denver days as an average to a poor defender, but with an extended look, he slightly exceeded those expectations. I gave Lawson a B+ grade for his defense for all the reasons listed above.
Overall 2016-2017: Grade- A-
Overall, I believe Ty Lawson earned an A- grade for his play this regular season. Sacramento took a shot in the dark on Lawson this offseason. He had just flamed out on three teams in the last 12 months and had some legal issues to boot. Lawson overcame all those obstacles to play in 69 games for the Kings and was a productive member of their rotation.
If Lawson had regained his three-point stroke and ramp up his defensive play slightly (which will be difficult given his reliance on speed and his advancing age), he would have earned an A or A+ grade. I was overall impressed by Lawson’s play, and it was a worthy gamble by Kings management that ended up paying off in spades.
Final Thoughts
There you have it, my season report card for Ty Lawson. As I mentioned, the Kings only signed him to a one-year deal last offseason, so the question becomes: do the Kings bring him back?
I would guess Sacramento lets Lawson walk, and I think that is the right move. You took a shot, and it swished, but he turns 30 years old in November, and this is clearly a rebuilding team. Lawson should move on and play for a contender. The Kings should proceed to a younger developing point guard who can lead the team into their next playoff run.
Next: Sacramento Kings Report Card: Georgios Papagiannis
A Royal Pain is just kicking off with the offseason content that you desire about the Sacramento Kings. We will be covering the draft, free agency, and all the juicy rumors, so please check in with us often. Thank you for reading.