Nuggets reportedly trade troubled Lawson to Rockets

[July 20, 2015]  The Sports Xchange
 
 While he was at an alcohol treatment center, point guard Ty Lawson was traded from the Denver Nuggets to the Houston Rockets, multiple media outlets reported Sunday.

The Rockets reportedly sent forward Kostas Papanikolaou, guard Pablo Prigioni, center Joey Dorsey, guard Nick Johnson and a protected 2016 first-round pick to the Nuggets. Denver sent Houston a 2017 second-round draft pick.

According to ESPN.com, Papanikolaou's contract isn't guaranteed, and Prigoni's deal is partially guaranteed. Yahoo Sports reported that the Nuggets will trade or waive Priogoni ahead of a Monday deadline that would guarantee his $1.6 million salary for the upcoming season. If cut Monday, Priogoni would get $440,000.

Last Tuesday, Lawson was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence for the second time in the past six months. Lawson attended a pretrial hearing Friday in Denver after his Tuesday arrest in Los Angeles. He was arrested on the same charge in Denver in January.

Lawson entered the Cliffside Malibu treatment facility, a celebrity rehabilitation center in California for patients with addiction and psychiatric issues, for a 30-day stay starting Saturday.

Lawson won't face charges in California and Colorado until he goes through the treatment program.

"We will be handling the personal needs of the defendant," attorney Harvey Steinberg said Friday.

Lawson's next court date is Aug. 20 in Denver.

The Nuggets' 2009 first-round pick out of North Carolina, Lawson spent his first six NBA seasons in Denver. He averaged 15.2 points and a career-high 9.6 assists last season. In 2013-14, he produced a career-best 17.6 points per game.

Denver added a replacement for him when it selected point guard Emmanuel Mudiay with the No. 7 pick in the first round of last month's draft.

Papanikolaou averaged 4.2 points, 2.7 rebounds and two assists for the Rockets last season, while Priogoni produced 4.1 points, 1.8 rebounds and 2.6 assists.

Dorsey put up 2.7 points and four rebounds per game in 2014-15, and Johnson averaged 2.6 points and 1.4 rebounds.

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