At nights he sleeps on 1,000-thread count Egyptian cotton sheets in a rehab clinic selling itself as a place that not only helps people overcome their addictions, but also is similar to a high-end boutique hotel with turndown service.

Ty Lawson, 27, is nearing the end of his stay at Cliffside Malibu, a rehab clinic in Malibu, California, as he tries to recover from an alcohol addiction.

When training camp opens in September, Lawson will start another new chapter in his life -- point guard for the Houston Rockets, an opportunity born from his struggle to deal with his addiction. After two DUI charges in a seven-month period, Lawson, one of the best point guards in the NBA, was dealt by the Denver Nuggets to Houston for four backups and a lottery-protected first-round pick in 2016.

"For me, it's very hurtful," Keith Stevens, who has known Lawson since he was 11 years old, said of Lawson's situation. "This is a kid that's not just a basketball player to me; this is like my family, my blood. To see him go through the things that he's going through, I hope he understands what it takes to recognize he has to do something differently because the most important thing is he has a daughter that he has to set an example for. He means a lot to a lot of people."
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