The Toronto Raptors recently converted guard AJ Lawson’s deal to a standard NBA contract.
Lawson, 6-foot-6, 185 pounds, is averaging 8.9 points, 3.4 rebounds, 1.2 assists and 18.6 minutes in 25 games (two starts) with the Raptors this season. He has scored in double figures 10 times, including a career-high 32 points in a victory Mar. 10 vs. Washington. Lawson became just the fourth Canadian to score 30 points in a Raptors uniform, joining teammates RJ Barrett and Chris Boucher, and Cory Joseph. Lawson originally signed a two-way contract with Toronto on Dec. 11. He has also appeared in 37 NBA G League games with Raptors 905 and Long Island, averaging 20.9 points, 5.3 rebounds, 2.4 assists, 1.2 steals and 33.1 minutes.
A native of Brampton, Ontario, Lawson holds career averages of 5.0 points, 1.9 rebounds and 10.8 minutes in 82 NBA games (two starts) with Dallas, Minnesota and Toronto. After going undrafted, Lawson spent the 2021-22 campaign with College Park in the NBA G League and played with the Guelph Nighthawks of the Canadian Elite Basketball League before signing a two-way contract with the Timberwolves in the summer of 2022. He played three collegiate seasons (2018-21) at South Carolina where he was named Second Team All-SEC as a junior.
