Mavs Summer League Standout A.J. Lawson Signing with Timberwolves: Details
The Dallas Mavericks finished NBA Summer League play in Las Vegas with a 0-5 record. Despite not being able to get in the win column, the Mavs saw some promising flashes from some of their young prospects, including No. 37 pick Jaden Hardy, who has already been signed to a three-year rookie deal, and A.J. Lawson, who many figured would be a strong two-way contract candidate for Dallas.
However, that ship has sailed for the Mavs, as The Athletic reported on Tuesday that Lawson is signing a two-way contract with the Minnesota Timberwolves.
The former South Carolina Gamecock was arguably the Mavs’ most impressive player in Vegas, as he averaged 15 points and six rebounds per game while shooting 52 percent from the field, including 50 percent from deep.
Not only was Lawson an effective offensive threat, but he also showed potential on defense as well. He’s 6-6 with a 6-7 wingspan, 22 years old, and is already able to navigate through screens well despite his slender frame. Why the Mavs didn't view him as being worthy of a two-way contract is only something they can answer. ... Or perhaps it was another Jalen Brunson situation on a smaller scale, where Lawson simply chose another team due to potentially having a bigger role.
With Lawson now out of the picture, it appears that 26-year-old Tyler Dorsey could be the next player to receive a two-way contract from the Mavs, according to multiple reports.
The 6-5 Olympiacos shooting guard was a second-round pick in the 2017 draft, but hasn’t played in the NBA since 2019. In three years playing overseas, Dorsey has averaged 11.4 points per game while shooting 39.7 percent from 3-point range.
Dorsey reportedly impressed the Mavs in a recent private workout. We'll see if anything becomes official in the coming days.
