Agent: Ty Lawson 'feels really good about' trade to Rockets

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Monday, July 20, 2015

Ty Lawson is "excited" about being traded by the Denver Nuggets to the Houston Rockets, his agent told KRIV-TV in Houston.

"He's close with James [Harden], tight with Corey [Brewer], knows Trevor [Ariza] and Dwight [Howard] and is real excited," the point guard's agent, Happy Walters, told KRIV-TV.

Said Walters: "It's an opportunity for him. He's been deep in the playoffs before, but this is something he feels really good about."

Sources told ESPN.com's Marc Stein that the Rockets and Nuggets have agreed to a trade that will land Lawson for a package of non-guaranteed contracts and a 2016 protected first-round pick. The trade is expected to be finalized Monday.

Lawson, 27, is currently in rehab in Los Angeles after his second DUI arrest in 2015. A judge ruled last week that he won't face DUI charges in California and Colorado until completing the 30-day residential treatment program.

Lawson entered treatment Saturday at Cliffside Malibu, a celebrity rehabilitation center in California that treats patients with addiction and psychiatric issues.

"Ty has been in the league, and he knows what's up," Walters told ESPN on Monday. "He's taking care of himself, and he just started [rehab]."

Walters said Lawson won't need a chaperone with him at all times the way the NFL's Dez Bryant and MLB's Josh Hamilton had when they dealt with off-the-field issues in the past.

"He's being proactive to deal with stuff and it will be helpful for him, and he'll get better and put it all behind him," Walters said.

After his January arrest, Lawson was ordered not to drink alcohol or violate laws as part of his bond. The Denver judge on Friday ordered Lawson to use a stationary blood-alcohol monitoring device after his release from treatment.

NBA officials are looking into Lawson's two DUI arrests as they consider discipline.

Lawson averaged 15.2 points last season and achieved a career best by averaging 9.6 assists.

Emmanuel Mudiay, selected by the Nuggets with the seventh overall pick in last month's draft, is expected to step into the starting point guard role for Denver. The 19-year-old rookie was one of the stars of the NBA summer league,averaging 12 points and 5.8 assists in four games.

ESPN.com's Calvin Watkins and The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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