Denver Nuggets trade G Ty Lawson to Houston Rockets for four players

The Denver Nuggets have traded point guard Ty Lawson to the Houston Rockets in exchange for four players and a projected 2016 first-round pick, according to ESPN.

The Denver Nuggets have traded point guard Ty Lawson to the Houston Rockets in exchange for four players and a projected 2016 first-round pick, according to ESPN.com's Marc Stein. 

Sources initially confirmed the trade to SI.com's Chris Mannix on Friday. Yahoo’s Adrian Wojnarowskiwas first to report the trade.

The Nuggets were reportedly set to acquire KostasPapanikolaou, Pablo Prigioni, Joey Dorsey, Nick Johnson and a protected 2016 first-round pick, in exchange for Lawson and a 2017 second-round pick, according to Wojnarowski.

On Monday, the Nuggets waived Prigioni, according to Stein, also signaling that the trade was completed. Of the $1.7 million owed to Prigioni next season, only $440,000 is guaranteed if he was waived by Monday, according to Wojnarowski. 

As part of the deal, the 27-year-old Lawson agreed to make the 2016–17 year of his contract non-guaranteed, giving the Rockets the ability to cut Lawson prior to the 2016–17 season, Grantland's Zach Lowe reports. 

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Lawson is set to make $12.4 million during the 2015–16 season and $13.2 million during the 2016–17 season if picked up by the Rockets. 

The news of the trade comes after Lawson was arrested earlier this month on suspicion of driving under the influence, his second such arrest this year. On Friday, a judge ordered Lawson to undergo continuous alcohol monitoring. Lawson will be entering a 30-day rehabilitation program as well. 

Lawson, 27, averaged 15.2 points per game last season, his lowest since he backed up Chauncey Billups in 2010–11, though he did average a career high 9.6 assists per game. 

The Nuggets selected point guard Emmanuel Mudiay with the seventh pick in the 2015 NBA draft. Mudiay, who was named to the All-NBA Summer League Second Team on Sunday, impressed Nuggets coach Michael Malone with his play in Las Vegas, Yahoo’s Marc Spears reports. 

- Dan Gartland