Ty Lawson is not one to turn the other cheek — he has a history of firing back at critics on social media. It’s left team PR reps scrambling before, and this season it will be the turn of the crew in Houston.
It might start now. Lawson posted a picture of himself relaxing on a boat, but when the critics came at him in the Instagram comments he responded by firing shots at the Denver Nuggets’ ownership and GM.
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If you don’t want to scroll through the comments, here’s the money comments.shannondizmang @taylorhodes he was a disappointment here in Denver. Capable of so much more but the dude just didn’t want to play. About every 20 or so games he would show up. If he would just play ball the way he does he would be making even more millions. #waste
tylawson3 @shannondizmang lol I wasn’t a disappointment.... I did my job.. Tim Conelly and the kronke are bad owners and gm’s
tylawson3 I’m happy af I’m a rocket
(Hat tip to Denver Stiffs.)
Lawson’s numbers were down some in Houston, but the franchise’s bigger problem with him was in the locker room where management saw him as a guy who caused distractions due to personal issues that had him showing up to practices with alcohol on his breath (he was arrested for two DUIs within six months, he has since been to a rehab center). Denver took a hit just to get him off the roster, and feel betrayed because they believe GM Tim Connelly and Nuggets President/Governor Josh Kroenke gave him a chance and tried to help him through his personal issues.
Lawson doesn’t see it that way. That can be up for debate. However, he isn’t wrong about the odd choices of management — this team won 57 games then lost its GM and then fired its coach (George Karl) within a few weeks of each other. They took a running roster and entrusted it to Brian Shaw, who tried to run the triangle (where Lawson was a poor fit), lost the team and quickly everything went sideways. They lost the culture of the franchise and in the locker room, now hiring Mike Malone to restore all that. On top of that, owner Stan Kroenke is not known as a big spender.
All that said, Lawson chose not to take the high road here. It’s not his style.
The Nuggets are going to struggle this season as they try to get back on track (and they may have the new franchise cornerstone in Emmanuel Mudiay).
If Lawson can get and keep himself right, and continue putting up his numbers and playing his game, he can lift the Rockets into the upper echelon of the Western Conference — a crowded space but one where a healthy Rockets team belongs.