Ty Lawson agrees to deal with Kings

Free-agent guard Ty Lawson has agreed to a one-year contract with the Sacramento Kings, league sources told The Vertical.

Lawson visited with Kings officials and coaches on Saturday in Sacramento and had planned to meet with New Orleans Pelicans officials early this week – until the Kings offered him a deal on Sunday, league sources said.

Lawson joins a backcourt full of opportunity in Sacramento, where the Kings lost Rajon Rondo in free agency to the Chicago Bulls. Darren Collison is expected to be the Kings’ starter at point guard.

For Lawson, the experiment of coexisting with All-Star guard James Harden didn’t work with the Houston Rockets last season. Lawson agreed to a contract buyout in March after the Rockets sent Denver a first-round pick in a July deal for him. He then agreed to a contract to finish the season with the Indiana Pacers.

Lawson averaged 5.8 points and 3.4 assists in 22.2 minutes a game for Houston. In his seven-year NBA career, Lawson has averaged 13.1 points and 6.2 assists.