Nuggets’ Lawson to join Lithuanian club
DENVER (AP)—Denver Nuggets point guard Ty Lawson(notes) has signed a deal to play with the Lithuanian club Zalgiris Kaunas that will allow him to return to the NBA if the lockout ends.
The team’s general director, Paulius Motiejunas, confirmed the deal Monday night.
Lawson will team up with Sonny Weems(notes), a former Nuggets guard who signed with the Lithuanian squad last month. Unlike Lawson’s deal, Weems agreed to a contract without an NBA opt-out clause. Weems played last season for Toronto.
The speedy Lawson averaged 11.7 points and 4.7 assists last season for the Nuggets.
Lawson told the Denver Post, which first reported the story, that “it’s the best situation for me to go out there.”
Many top NBA players, including Kobe Bryant(notes), Dwight Howard(notes), Chris Paul(notes) and Carmelo Anthony(notes), have said they would consider offers to play overseas if there is no resolution to the NBA lockout.
Deron Williams(notes) and Sasha Vujacic(notes) of the New Jersey Nets have already signed deals to play in Turkey, while Danny Green(notes) of the San Antonio Spurs will play in Slovenia and the Nets’ Jordan Farmar(notes) will play in Israel.
NBA team owners and players are still well apart in negotiations on a collective bargaining agreement to replace the one that expired June 30, raising the possibility that all or part of next season could be canceled.
