According to the Denver Post, he is on their radar:
Denver will not stand pat. With a draft choice late in the first round, it’s believed the Nuggets are eyeing North Carolina point guard Ty Lawson. The team also is known to have recently scouted young European center Marc Gasol, currently property of the Memphis Grizzlies and a prospect who might be ready to emerge from the shadow of his big brother with the Lakers.
Denver owns the 20th pick in the draft which would be enough to keep Lawson in the draft. I also think that information like this is what Roy Williams gets when he talks to various teams meaning when these guys declare they are aware of interest from certain scouts. Fans often assume that the mock drafts and ESPN analysis is all the players are using to decide. In the case of Tar Heel players, Roy talks to a lot of people and probably gets assessments similar to this one. And we can safely assume Denver was one of the 18 teams Roy spoke with since UNC alum George Karl is the head coach there.
Obviously this process has a ways to go but an interesting “nugget” nonetheless.
May 9, 2008 at 11:51 am
That would be hard to turn down.
May 9, 2008 at 12:10 pm
If Iverson is still in the Denver mix next year, that would be the ideal mentor for Lawson (talent-wise). He would be perfect for their offense and George Karl (UNC alum) would be sure to get him some playing time.
Lawson’s stay/go % is 20/80. He could probably do better than #20 next year, but the fit (team-wise) may not be as good.
Could we see some similar information regarding Wayne Ellington? Doubt it.
Danny Green? Nah.
I wonder what info teams gave Roy about Tyler?
May 9, 2008 at 12:36 pm
plus, George gets a little “pay-back” karma, for being left out of the Guthridge replacement discussion—only half-kidding.
Maybe Ty has a burning desire to go? I still don’t think it’ll happen, unless there’s some sort of back-room negotiation for more than market value for a #20, which certainly can be creatively structured with incentives.
May 9, 2008 at 3:18 pm
That makes it a lot more difficult to turn down. I am glad Larry Drew seems to be worthy of decent playing time. Bobby will have to be the man next year, and those 3’s that he missed this year, well, some will have to fall next year. Ty has got to take this, unless he thinks that he will be more of a scorer and assasin come tournament time next year.
May 9, 2008 at 3:38 pm
Lawson will problably hire an agent shortly. Please Bobby, stay healthy!
May 9, 2008 at 3:48 pm
52BGJ-
Good point about the (potential) $$$$ value for a #20 pick. I now think that Lawson will go, in that the #20 slot gives him (or his agent) some flexibility in negotiating a decent contract. I still must revert to the Mateen Cleaves scenerio, where he could have gone after a stellar sophomore season in’98 (he would have been somewhere in the #25-#30 range), but opted to come back and win a title (which put him in much greater shape, contract wise). I think that we can all agree that Lawson wants to go and cracking into the top 20 will be more than enough for him to leave. Again, the incintives I had mentioned earlier (playing with Iverson, running an attack offense, a UNC-alum head coach) a far too great at this point.
May 9, 2008 at 4:41 pm
Denver seems like a really good fit for him, but it’s not like they are promising to use a pick on him, especially a late first round pick that will be predicated on who is left on the board. That makes no sense from a business standpoint.
Best of luck to Ty if he decides to go, but if the best assurance he can get is that a team with the 20th pick is “eyeing” him, that’s of marginal value at best. And it’s worth mentioning that an agent won’t be able to get anything more concrete from any team.
It might work out and it might not - the latter a real possibility when we are talking about 20 picks into the draft. What’s the next logical landing point for him and is it as desirable an outcome fit-wise as Denver?
May 9, 2008 at 4:46 pm
I was a big George Karl fan from his days coaching the Sonics in Seattle. The one knock on George (other than a Larry Brown-like ability to wear out his welcome) is that he does not use or develop young guys. I’d hate to see Ty ride the pine.
May 9, 2008 at 6:17 pm
Well, that’s a chance that he is taking, and that definately could be what will happen. And like BigAppleHeel said, it still is just SPECULATIVE that Denver will take him at 20.
May 9, 2008 at 9:44 pm
I like that you ALL have put forth compelling reasons why Ty might not be taken by Denver.
Big Apple Heel:
if the best assurance he can get is that a team with the 20th pick is “eyeing” him, that’s of marginal value at best. And it’s worth mentioning that an agent won’t be able to get anything more concrete from any team.
Better than anything I would be able to dig up from those Dukaphites at espn.com
May 9, 2008 at 11:06 pm
Well Dean, should we all just go ahead and accept the loss and get behind him now? Or do we mention the other option of coming back and maybe increasing your stock? I’m not trying to be smart or attempting to e-attack (or whatever these kids call it), I am just curious. I know that a number 20 pick is pretty decent when you consider the fact that George Karl will obviously exhibit some loyalty, and he will have good mentors there to help him out, and playing beside Allen Iverson. I can see someone making a good argument for him leaving today. I would just love to see him run our team one more year, and maybe along the way his draft position increases. There are strong points to be made for him leaving as you pointed out DeanForever, I am just glad to see some posts that support his right to stay as well. In the end, I think he’s a goner, and I hope he keeps the UNC tradition alive with success in the NBA. As always, I have enjoyed your posts Dean, along with everyone else here who cares about UNC basketball, and these kids.
May 9, 2008 at 11:09 pm
I still hold out hope for a Ellington/Green return. We have to keep that wing in check. I am sorry for feeling this way, but I do not see Ed Davis as a viable candidate for small forward. He will not be popping out behind a pick to hit a 16 footer. He reminds me of Tyler Hansbrough in his willingness to go after rebounds like he owns them, and his determination to put the ball in the hole (while he is in the paint, where he belongs).
May 10, 2008 at 10:16 am
I think he should take the lead from the national player of the year and return for another season. I mean his quickness is amazing and playing on the west coast where offense is king would be great for him. To me he doesn’t have the midrange game ( yet ) or the defensive skills to play on that level yet. In the a league where they examine and expose your weaknesses I don’t think he’s ready. Unless he just wants to get paid, then he should go. Cause Brandon Wright can tell him how good the money is and how the bench feels.
May 10, 2008 at 11:12 am
PPPLLLEEEAAASSSEE, KARL, DON’T TAKE OUR GUY!!!
May 10, 2008 at 11:29 am
Any know if bobby got his redshirt for this year approved?
May 10, 2008 at 1:11 pm
hey nothing is set in stone, but the farther down the line i go, the more i believe we are just gonna have to make do with out ty and wayne, but good luck to them! i want them to come back as much as possible, but ty and wayne im hoping come back, but everyone should be happy for them, our team will be fine
May 10, 2008 at 2:24 pm
I think our team should be fine as well. There is nothing wrong with finishing 3-5 in the ACC. We have done worse and so have our hated rivals next door too.
May 10, 2008 at 3:36 pm
Pretty tough to turn down being the number 20 pick and come back to a team where you are at best the number 2 player. I’m just throwing out the possibility that for a big time talent, Tyler’s shadow may be hard to live under. Nevertheless, I appreciate that this is all speculation and I am hopeful for a return.
May 10, 2008 at 8:31 pm
Josh, you really feel we’ll be a 3-5 in the ACC? There’s no question we’d lose a lot, but with our current players, I can’t see anything less than 2. And I don’t know if I can see Tyler losing to dook again either. I guess it takes 5 though.
May 10, 2008 at 9:00 pm
Hi All
I sure hope Ty stays but if he gets a shot w/ Denver and Coach Karl, thats a pretty good deal for him and I would wish him well. Tarheels will be ok w/ or w/out him, but a lot better w/ him.
May 11, 2008 at 2:25 pm
Wilson, I readily admit that I am most likely not giving UNC a fair shot. And my guessing at that is probably not giving the new kids a fair shake either. I see our wing as being a real troublesome spot. We are very deep in the power forward dept. However, none of our forwards have shown any propensity to keep the wing honest by stepping out and hitting their uncontested jumpers but Hansbrough. Ginyard is reluctant to score even when he is wide open. With that being said, I know that Wake Forest is going to get a good boot from their incomers, and Duke will have their inside game looking better with Plumlee, and Elliott Williams has shown that he is going to be better than who he is replacing (D.Nelson). The key to us winning this year without Green/Ellington/Lawson will be how are we able to reorchestrate our game with what we have. We will definately be confined to more of a half court set next year, unless our Freshmen are full of surprises. I am just expecting for us to be in a 3-5 position. I will feel very fortunate to do better, but I hope that we can win the ACC, I just don’t expect it like I have the last 2 years. Wilson, if you don’t accept my premise, I completely understand. No one is hoping that these statements look silly in hindsight more than me. Of course, all this changes if the big 3 come back. I see Danny Green keeping up that defensive intensity, and learning from previous mistakes in his Senior season. I also see Lawson as wanting to demonstrate that he can play in the big games, and lead a team to a title. I also see Ellington starting to show some of that cold blooded assasin like shooting that the likes of Ray Allen and Chauncey Billups demonstrate in big games. There’s a lot to prove and if these guys come back, we should be a lock. If not, I think we are missing special pieces to our ACC dominance.
May 11, 2008 at 10:03 pm
Josh-
Maybe it’s my mind turning to mush after driving most of the day today, but where did you “e-attack?” I didn’t see anything to take notice of in that regard. I was curious as to if you were referring to Ty’s or my own stock in this statement:
Or do we mention the other option of coming back and maybe increasing your stock?
I’m confused. Were you speaking as if one of us were (hypothetically) in that situation and one of US were making the decision? Again…confusion.
I have never endorsed Ty leaving, I have finally come to the realization that it would be very (VERY) possible should he get the Denver offer at the 20 slot. No one wants to see Ty back more than I…trust me.
Wayne Ellington isn’t going pro this year. If he does, I don’t mind being wrong but what I would mind would be a clear-cut scenerio where a kid just wanted to get away from college ball (which speaks volumes about the person if he wanted to get away from college ball played at North Carolina) and sign a mediocre, if not career-altering (for the worst) contract that would make his journey more difficult than need be.
Danny Green is all but back. All of this speculation is nonsense. I am basing my statement off of nothing else other than common sense. Our lineup SHOULD be
PG-Bobby Frasor
WG-Wayne Ellington
SF-Marcus Ginyard
PF-Tyler Hansbrough
2F/C-Deon Thompson/Alex Stephenson
For the record, I am not sold on Deon starting next year. Let’s ignore the “Alex is leaving too” speculation for a second and evaluated his chances of starting for UNC. His defensive presence would negate most teams inside play until Deon came in and played off the big man. Alex may pick up 2-3 fouls in the first half, but Deon’s offense would wear the opposing center down and then Tyler 2.0 can get a few honest hacks in.
Gotta run…keep the posts coming!
May 12, 2008 at 9:53 am
[...] teams. Lennox Rawlings has no idea what will happen with Green, Lawson, and Ellington. Will Tywon learn from AI? Draft Express has posted a camp preview. All three have a legitimate shot at being drafted [...]
May 12, 2008 at 12:58 pm
“All three have a legitimite shot at being drafted…”
Nah, really?
May 13, 2008 at 12:01 pm
I am resigned to Lawson going pro. In the current NBA playoffs, the importance of young effective point guards has come to the fore. Danny Green could really benefit from another year, and as a starter. Ellington? We’ll see. With Green, Frasor and Ellington all back UNC has some very good deep threats. Don’t know if any of the freshmen have good outside shots. Hope so…
May 13, 2008 at 2:58 pm
Hoopshype.com / DraftExpress lists Lawson @ # 28 …and JJ Hickson @ # 30 (no info on Ellington or Green).
May 13, 2008 at 3:04 pm
DraftExpress has Ellington as the #11 pick in the 2nd round. Green is not listed.
May 14, 2008 at 7:23 am
I have been watching some clips (YouTube, Scout, Rivals) of the incoming three freshmen for some time now…and I can honestly say that I am most excited about Larry Drew.
This is not the statement I would have made last fall, but the kid looks to be a great fit for UNC. First and foremost, in the collective footage that I have seen, the kid wants to both win and make his teammates better in the process. Second, he has a pretty sick touch from behind the arc. Third, he appears to lack the ego of your typical high-profile guard recruit.
Ed Davis simply needs to get stronger. He will probably be the most prolific of the three newcomers in the scoring department. He has a lot of work to do.
Tyler 2.0 Zeller has me a little concerned. Not one to nit-pick, I can’t help but feel a little bit alarmed after watching the collective footage on this kid. Specifically, he appears a bit passive, if not awkward, on the defensive end. Other big men have little to no difficulty backing in on him. If his only asset (right now) is running the court, then Roy will simply use him to steal minutes for both Alex and Deon.
Like Ed Davis, Tyler needs to hit the weights.