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North Carolina Tar Heels: Ty Lawson misses Kings plane

By John Woodcock

Oct 10, 2016; Sacramento, CA, USA; Sacramento Kings guard Ty Lawson (10) shoots the ball over Maccabi Haifa B.C. guard John DiBartolomeo (12) during the third quarter at Golden 1 Center. The Kings won 136-96. Mandatory Credit: Sergio Estrada-USA TODAY Sports
Oct 10, 2016; Sacramento, CA, USA; Sacramento Kings guard Ty Lawson (10) shoots the ball over Maccabi Haifa B.C. guard John DiBartolomeo (12) during the third quarter at Golden 1 Center. The Kings won 136-96. Mandatory Credit: Sergio Estrada-USA TODAY Sports /
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Former North Carolina Tar Heels point guard Ty Lawson may already have gotten himself into hot water with the Kings last week.

In the pro careers of former North Carolina Tar Heels, none have gotten more curious in the last couple of years than that of Ty Lawson. The former Denver Nuggets point guard and fixture has seen things go downhill fast from there. There were the DUIs, the trade to the Rockets, being cut by said Rockets after not mixing with James Harden, and then finishing out the season with the Indiana Pacers.

The turmoil continued in the off season as the point guard became toxic in free agent negotiations. At the end of it Lawson signed a one year minimum deal with the Sacramento Kings to serve as insurance for Darren Collison. How the mighty have fallen.

So should it come as a surprise that Lawson and the Kings are already having to deal with an issue? Lawson missed a team flight last week to the preseason game against the Washington Wizards. This was after being late to a shoot around before the Lakers game in Vegas according to reports from ESPN’s Marc Stein.

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One has to give the NBA more credit here. The Wizards game was played in Kentucky, which means the league went out of their way to make sure that two teams with notable John Calipari alumni played a game in their former backyard. John Wall versus Demarcus Cousins, anyone?

Lawson missed the plane flight to Kentucky for ‘personal reasons’ according to the team. General Manager Vlade Divac and head coach Dave Joerger both cited that the issue was handled and not related to basketball. Divac noted that the team would not suspend Lawson but he did not rule the possibility of other punishment, like a fine.

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The Kings will expect a good deal from Lawson at the beginning of the season. Collison is out for eight games related to a misdemeanor and Lawson will most likely fill that spot. As further insurance, the Kings did bring in former Laker Jordan Farmar.

Hopefully Ty can pull things together and give his career the reboot it needs in Sacramento.

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