James Harden is on board with the Houston Rockets trading for Ty Lawson.
We of course know this on some level. Rockets general manager Daryl Morey apparently consulted with both Harden and Dwight Howard before pulling the trigger on that deal with the Denver Nuggets. But if anyone still had any doubt about how Harden was feeling, or about how Lawson would be received by his new teammates, they can rest easy.
Talking at Kroger Unplug and Play James Harden Basketball ProCamp, Harden divulged to reporters that he spent some time with the embattled Lawson. Here’s the lowdown, courtesy of the Houston Chroncicle‘s Jonathan Feigen:
Harden and new Rockets guard Ty Lawson “spent some time together,” enough for Harden to be convinced that his new teammate will overcome his off-court issues and be a valuable addition to the Rockets’ backcourt.
“Ty is definitely going to help us,” Harden said during a break in the Kroger Unplug and Play James Harden Basketball ProCamp in The Woodlands on Saturday. “He gives us that quickness, that speed, playmaking ability, something that we were missing, especially deep in the playoffs. We’re going to welcome him with open arms. We’re happy to have him.”
Lawson completed a 30-day rehabilitation program ordered after his second DUI arrest this year. Harden said he has already spent enough time with Lawson to be “not at all” concerned that Lawson will have similar issues.
“He’s out in California right now working out,” Harden said. “We’re happy to have him. He’s going to be a great addition to our team. I’ve been with him these last couple weeks. He’s more focused than ever. He has a great opportunity with a really good team to showcase his talents and help us with that push that we need.”
Synergy between Harden and Lawson is of the utmost importance. The Rockets were one of the NBA’s elite defensive teams last season, even with Howard missing more games than he did through his first 10 campaigns combined. But the offense was mediocre, perhaps slightly above average, at its best.
The Rockets lacked a proven secondary playmaker behind Harden after dealing away Jeremy Lin and letting Chandler Parsons sign with the Dallas Mavericks. They needed someone, like Lawson, to create additional shots for both himself and his teammates in order to diminish the astronomical burden weighing on Harden’s shoulders.
But Harden and Lawson are far from the perfect pair. Both are ball-dominators and neither has spent a lot of time playing off the rock over the last three years. They must learn to beside one another, knowing that means accepting extensive time as off-ball scorers.
And then there’s Lawson’s off-court problems. He was arrested for driving under the influence twice in less than six months, and while he completed a rehabilitation program, the jury is still out on what the future holds for him in Houston.
The Rockets are betting a change of scenery will do him well. There’s no way of knowing if that’s true, but it helps that, for now, he has the support of his most talented teammate ever.
(Sorry, Carmelo Anthony.)
