The Indiana Pacers have lost four of their last six games and are clinging to a playoff spot in the Eastern Conference. They would be the seventh seed if the playoffs started today, but they are just one and a half games ahead of the Wizards, who are in ninth place.
The Pacers know they need all hands on deck to secure a playoff spot and to make some noise if they make it in. One area where they have been a little weak is at the point guard position, where they don't have a true backup behind starter George Hill. Hill is having a very good year, but they could still use some help behind him.
It looks as though help may be on the way as the Pacers have emerged as the favorites to sign Ty Lawson. Indiana is in strong discussions with Lawson and his representation about a possible deal. Lawson is a free agent after agreeing to a buyout with the Houston Rockets earlier this week.
After Lawson was released, many believed he would look to go somewhere that he could get big, starter-sized minutes so he could rebuild his value. The Knicks were mentioned as a possible destination considering their point guard troubles, but they decided to pass on him.
The Pacers, assuming a deal gets done, are an interesting fit for Lawson. The 28-year-old point guard will certainly have a role, most likely as the backup point guard, but they likely won't offer the big minutes he would hope for. Lawson is set to become an unrestricted free agent after this season, so you would think he'd want to be able to play a lot to maximize his next contract.
It is a reasonable possibility that Lawson didn't receive much interest, but he is a low-risk, high-reward kind of free agent right now. The former Nugget was the Rockets big acquisition this offseason and even said he might be the missing piece to a team that made it to the Western Conference Finals a year ago. Instead, Lawson was a huge disappointment with the Rockets as he didn't get many minutes and didn't perform well in his limited playing time.
Lawson is only one year removed from being a borderline All-Star so he likely just needs the right situation. Backing up Hill won't be ideal for him, but if a deal gets done between him and the Pacers, Lawson should be able to help Indiana secure a playoff spot.