A former Dallas Mavericks prospect has found a new team a quarter of the way into the 2024-25 season. A.J. Lawson, who appeared in 56 games for the Mavs before being waived twice during the preseason, has signed a two-way contract with the Toronto Raptors. Lawson, a native of Toronto, Canada, had been playing for the Long Island Nets, the G-League affiliate of the Brooklyn Nets, where he averaged 24.0 points, 6.6 rebounds, and 2.5 assists per game. He also scored a career-high 37 points against the Raptors’ G-League team earlier this season, likely catching the attention of their front office.
The Mavericks originally signed Lawson to a non-guaranteed contract in March after trades for Daniel Gafford and PJ Washington opened up a roster spot. However, when the Mavs re-signed Markieff Morris, they found themselves with 16 players for 15 roster spots and opted to keep Morris for his leadership over Lawson’s potential. Lawson was waived early in the preseason but later rejoined the team on a two-way deal.
He was waived again at the end of the preseason when the Mavs chose to bring Jazian Gortman, one of the standout performers of the preseason, onto a two-way contract. Lawson, in his third year on an NBA roster, went undrafted out of South Carolina in the 2021 NBA Draft. He initially joined the Atlanta Hawks but made his NBA debut with the Minnesota Timberwolves in 2022. Lawson averaged 3.4 points per game in his 56 appearances with Dallas.