The Toronto Raptors announced Wednesday they have signed guard AJ Lawson to a two-way contract. Per team policy, financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.
Lawson, 6-foot-6, 185 pounds, averaged 24.0 points, 6.6 rebounds, 2.6 assists and 35.1 minutes in 11 games (all starts) this season with the Long Island Nets, the NBA G League affiliate of the Brooklyn Nets. He shot .440 (85-193) from the field and .829 (34-41) from the free throw line. Lawson scored 20+ points eight times and 30+ points twice, including a career-high 37 points on Nov. 22 at Raptors 905.
A native of Toronto, Ontario, Lawson holds career averages of 3.4 points, 1.2 rebounds and 7.4 minutes in 57 career games with the Dallas Mavericks and the Minnesota Timberwolves over the last two seasons. During this span, he also averaged 21.1 points, 6.6 rebounds and 34.1 minutes in seven games with the Texas Legends in the 2023-24 NBA G League season and 20.0 points, 7.4 rebounds and 31.9 minutes in 22 games with the Legends, Iowa Wolves and the College Park Skyhawks in the 2022-23 campaign.
Prior to the NBA, Lawson played three collegiate seasons (2018-21) at South Carolina where he posted averages of 14.2 points, 4.0 rebounds, 2.1 assists and 30.2 minutes in 81 career games. In 21 games as a junior, he averaged 16.6 points, 4.1 rebounds, 1.2 assists and 31.4 minutes and earned Second Team All-SEC honours.