NBA Rumors: Houston Rockets' James Harden Gives Up Ty Lawson; Dwight Howard, Terrence Jones Call for PG's Trade

Jan 08, 2016 12:45 PM EST

The Houston Rockets have been struggling to get back to their dominant stance this NBA season. Before the regular season started, basketball fans had been thrilled to find out that James Harden will be joined by Ty Lawson this time. With the entry of the former Denver Nuggets star in the Houston Rockets, the NBA MVP runner-up was expected to concentrate more on taking shots. Moreover, the presence of Dwight Howard in the squad is anticipated to provide addition leadership support.

As it turned out, however, the Houston Rockets are struggling now more than ever. Instead of fulfilling the expectations of fans, the Harden squad had been delivering disappointing performances as of late. From being pegged as potential NBA title contenders, wherein they were eyed actually to displace the Golden State Warriors as the Western Conference leaders, the Houston Rockets are hanging on a balance. The NBA team initially thought to face off against LeBron James' Cleveland Cavaliers now struggle to keep their heads afloat this season.

Numerous problems contributed to this troubling performance from the Houston Rockets. The dynamics between Harden and Howard appeared to have worsened this NBA season. As for the entry of Lawson, the deal might have cost the team more than they were prepared to handle. The former Denver Nuggets star, who had been expected to aid Harden in the hardwood court, already missed some games this season. Although he is striving to turn over a new leaf as promised before the completion of his trade, Lawson is once again saddled with suspensions and legal drama.

According to ESPN, the point guard incurred a three-game suspension from the NBA. The penalty, which will see Lawson miss out on matches without pay, had been meted out following his DUI arrest in July. Before the said arrest, the Houston Rockets star was convicted on similar charges in January 2015 in Denver. The earlier case had him suspended for two games.

Both instances occurred during Lawson's stint with the Denver Nuggets. The latest suspensions will cause the point guard to miss the matches against the Utah Jazz and the Indiana Pacers. The Houston Rockets will also go sans Lawson in the game against the Memphis Grizzlies.

With these issues in mind, talks of an NBA trade involving Lawson become inevitable. However, sports analysts note that no other basketball team have expressed interest on the point guard. Before his entry to the Houston Rockets, it was reported that the Sacramento Kings were interested in signing him. With the signing of former Boston Celtics star Rajon Rondo, though, the need for a veteran point guard in the DeMarcus Cousins squad has been addressed.