A.j. Lawson Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Eastern Notes: Bucks, Okogie, Raptors, Cavs, Wizards

March 19th, 2025 at 3:21pm CST by Luke Adams

Bucks head coach Doc Rivers met after Tuesday’s loss to Golden State with Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard, according to NBA insider Chris Haynes, who reports (via Twitter) that the session served as an “open forum” for the Bucks stars to share ideas for how to get the team out of its recent slump.

As Haynes notes, the Bucks have lost five of their last seven games and have struggled on offense during that time, including scoring a season-low 93 points vs. Golden State in Tuesday’s defeat. Haynes describes Tuesday’s post-game meeting as “productive.”

Here’s more from around the Eastern Conference:

Veteran wing Josh Okogie got off to a good start in Charlotte after being traded to the Hornets in January, registering a +16.3 net rating in his first 149 minutes with the team. He has missed the past 23 games due to a left hamstring strain, but appears to be nearing a return. He was assigned to the G League on Tuesday to practice with the Greensboro Swarm before being recalled to the NBA team, per Rod Boone of The Charlotte Observer (Twitter links).
The Raptors have won six of their past nine games and have been buoyed during that stretch by strong performances from players on two-way or 10-day contracts, including Jared Rhoden, A.J. Lawson, and Colin Castleton. What useful information might Toronto glean from this late-season hot streak? Michael Grange of Sportsnet considers that question, exploring how the team can separate the signal from the noise.
After losing a second consecutive game in a row on Tuesday, the Cavaliers are now tied with Oklahoma City for the NBA’s best record at 56-12 and won’t have a shot at 70 wins unless they don’t lose again this season. Neither earning the league’s top seed or winning 70 regular season games is a top priority for the Cavs heading into the playoffs though, as Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com writes. The team’s two primary objectives? “To be healthy and playing great basketball,” according to head coach Kenny Atkinson.
The Wizards are the latest team to cut back on minutes for their veterans, presumably in an effort to tank, writes Varun Shankar of The Washington Post. Jordan Poole and Khris Middleton each played just 10:31 in Monday’s loss to Portland and didn’t appear at all in the second half, even though it wasn’t part of a back-to-back set.

Atlantic Notes: Tucker, Tatum, Horford, Porzingis, George, Lawson

March 10th, 2025 at 6:58pm CST by Dana Gauruder

P.J. Tucker, who signed a 10-day contract with the Knicks, said he had multiple options after Toronto waived him late last month. Knicks top executive Leon Rose had been Tucker’s agent earlier in his career.

“There were a few [options]. That was the thing — just trying to pick the right place,” Tucker told Stefan Bondy of the New York Post and other media members on Monday. “I always felt like the Knicks were my first option throughout the whole process, so I was happy to wait it out and be able to make that happen.”

Tucker signed the short-term deal with an understanding that he’ll stick around for the remainder of the season and playoffs if all goes according to plan, Bondy writes. Tucker had been sitting out the season with the Clippers until he was dealt twice before the trade deadline.

“It felt like I just got drafted again,” he said. “It’s like a whole new fresh energy, especially coming from home. It’s different. Trust me, it’s different.”

We have more from the Atlantic Division:

The Celtics played without three key players against the Jazz on Monday, Brian Robb of MassLive.com notes. Jayson Tatum (knee) was downgraded from questionable to out. Al Horford (toe) was also downgraded to out and Kristaps Porzingis remained sidelined for the sixth consecutive game due to illness. Despite their injury designations, the absences of Tatum and Horford could simply be due to rest — Tatum played a season-high 45 minutes in Boston’s win over the Lakers on Saturday night, while Horford totaled 37 minutes.
Sixers forward Paul George (left groin soreness) did not play Monday at Atlanta and won’t play Wednesday at Toronto, Keith Pompey of the Philadelphia Inquirer tweets. George will be reevaluated prior to Friday’s game vs. Indiana. He has missed 23 games, counting Monday’s contest, in his first season with Philadelphia.
Ontario native A.J. Lawson got a chance to start for the injury-riddled Raptors in their home game against Utah on Friday and it was special to him. “It means everything (to start at home),” Lawson told Michael Grange of Sportsnet. “My parents got to see, my fam, friends, loved ones. It’s amazing. If I checked my phone right now, they’re probably all sending me snaps and videos, I’m super happy about it. I was trying to be serious, too, but I couldn’t hold it in, I had to smile. That’s my personality, I’m a positive, happy person.” Lawson also started the home game against Washington the following night.

Atlantic Notes: Embiid, Sixers, Horford, Raptors

March 9th, 2025 at 3:07pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

Sixers head coach Nick Nurse believes the team is on the cusp of figuring out its new treatment plan for star center Joel Embiid, per Keith Pompey of The Philadelpahi Inquirer. At the end of February, Embiid was shut down for the rest of the season with left knee swelling.

“…I think they are getting closer to that,” Nurse said on Saturday. “I think there’s another [evaluation] at some point today, as well. I know they met a lot and talked a lot and [saw] a lot of people… So we are working at it, but we just don’t have a definitive answer quite yet.”

Pompey notes that Philadelphia and Embiid have pondered the possibility of a follow-up surgery on the knee. He last went under the knife in February 2024 for a left meniscus surgery, but the former MVP is still dealing with pain and swelling in that knee.

There’s more out of the Atlantic Division:

The Sixers made a flurry of big signings during the 2024 offseason in anticipation of a deep playoff run. Forward Paul George agreed to a four-season, $211.6MM deal to join Philadelphia in free agency, while Embiid was inked to a three-year, $192.9MM contract extension, which won’t begin until 2026/27. Instead of being an MVP contender this year, however, the team has seen Embiid limited to 19 games, while many of its new additions have regressed mightily from their 2023/24 runs. In a column for the Philadelphia Inquirer, Pompey details how Philadelphia’s summer splurge could adversely impact its roster-building in the years to come.
Celtics center Al Horford, one of the league’s oldest active players at age 38, received major praise from his colleagues following a 111-101 victory over the Lakers on Saturday, according to Tim Bontemps of ESPN. Playing 37 minutes with Kristaps Porzingis unavailable, Horford scored 14 points, grabbed nine rebounds and dished out four dimes. “Al is one of a kind,” All-NBA forward Jayson Tatum said. “…I’m the biggest Al Horford fan there is. I love that guy.” Head coach Joe Mazzulla, meanwhile, called the 6’9″ vet “a future Hall of Famer.” With his longevity, scoring output, team success (he’s won one NBA championship and two NCAA titles), and five All-Star appearances, Horford does have a case. “Al is just old reliable,” All-Star Celtics wing Jaylen Brown said. “He’s just the ultimate connector for us on both ends.” Across 50 games in his 18th pro season, Horford is averaging 8.3 points, 5.8 rebounds, 1.9 assists, 0.9 blocks and 0.6 steals per night, with a .418/.358/.893 shooting line.
With the postseason likely out of reach for this year’s Raptors, the team is prioritizing player development, notes Michael Grange of Sportsnet.ca. To wit, Toronto is getting encouraging minutes from rookies Jamal Shead, Ja’Kobe Walter, Jonathan Mogbo, and Jamison Battle, plus solid performances from two-way players Jared Rhoden and A.J. Lawson. The club believes intense pregame workout sessions among its younger players have played a part in their growth. “We push ourselves in those workouts and we get out there in games and try to replicate that,” Shead said.

NBA G League Announces Participants For 2025 Up Next Event

January 29th, 2025 at 2:44pm CST by Luke Adams

The NBA G League announced today that 27 players have been selected to participate in the 2025 Up Next event at the NBA’s All-Star weekend next month in San Francisco.

The event – which highlights standout players at the G League level and essentially serves as the NBAGL All-Star Game – features a tournament-style format with four teams made up of seven players apiece. Those clubs face one another in semifinals (first team to 30 points), with the winners meeting in the final. All three games will be played on the afternoon of Sunday, February 16, ahead of the NBA’s All-Star Game.

Ten players for the next Up Next pool are selected by fan votes, while the other 18 are selected by the league. Here are the players who have been named as participants for the 2025 event:

Fan voting

Note: Players are listed in order of votes received. Players marked with an asterisk (*) are on two-way contracts with an NBA team.

Yuki Kawamura (Memphis Hustle) *
Justin Champagnie (Capital City Go-Go) *
Jahlil Okafor (Indiana Mad Ants)
Adama Sanogo (Windy City Bulls) *
Skal Labissiere (Stockton Kings)
Kevon Harris (College Park Skyhawks)
Maozinha Pereira (Memphis Hustle)
Trevelin Queen (Osceola Magic) *
Armando Bacot (Memphis Hustle)
Keisei Tominaga (Indiana Mad Ants)

G League selections

Note: Players are listed in alphabetical order. Players marked with an asterisk (*) are on two-way contracts with an NBA team.

Moses Brown (Westchester Knicks)
Josh Christopher (Sioux Falls Skyforce) *
Jeff Dowtin (Delaware Blue Coats) *
PJ Hall (Grand Rapids Gold) *
Elijah Harkless (Salt Lake City Stars) *
Isaac Jones (Stockton Kings) *
A.J. Lawson (Raptors 905) *
Isaiah Miller (Austin Spurs)
Jaylen Nowell (Capital City Go-Go)
Dink Pate (Mexico City Capitanes)
Daeqwon Plowden (College Park Skyhawks) *
Quinten Post (Santa Cruz Warriors) *
Lester Quinones (Birmingham Squadron)
DJ Steward (Memphis Hustle)
TyTy Washington Jr. (Valley Suns) *
Alondes Williams (Sioux Falls Skyforce)
Jahmir Young (Grand Rapids Gold)

The G League announced 27 names today, leaving the pool one player shy of the 28 required for four seven-player teams. However, the NBAGL’s announcement says two more participants will be named at a later date to round out the player pool.

It’s unclear if there’s a math error happening here or if Pate will need to be replaced since he’s also participating in the Rising Stars event. Further confusing matters is the fact that Williams’ name shows up in the graphic released by the G League but not in the press release.

However it happens, the Up Next player pool will eventually increase to 28 names, with those players drafted into four teams by a quartet of “influencer” general managers and then coached by G League coaches at All-Star weekend.

Raptors Sign A.J. Lawson To Two-Way Contract

December 11th, 2024 at 3:44pm CST by Dana Gauruder

DECEMBER 11: The Raptors have officially announced Lawson’s two-way contract with the team.

DECEMBER 10: The Raptors have agreed to a two-way deal with free agent shooting guard A.J. Lawson, Michael Scotto of HoopsHype tweets.

Lawson had an eventful training camp with the Mavericks. Dallas waived the 24-year-old Canadian and his non-guaranteed standard contract, then brought him back on a two-way deal after he cleared waivers. The Mavericks cut Lawson once again before the regular season and he subsequently joined the Long Island Nets in the NBA G League.

Lawson appeared in a total of 56 NBA games for the Mavericks during his two seasons with the team, including 42 in 2023/24. He averaged 3.4 points and 1.3 rebounds in 7.4 minutes per contest and posted a shooting line of .457/.307/.548 at the NBA level.

Lawson has averaged 24.0 points, 6.6 rebounds, 2.5 assists, and 1.3 steals per game for the Long Island Nets this season.

Toronto opened up a two-way slot on Tuesday by waiving D.J. Carton, who is currently recovering from an ankle injury. Several Raptors regulars are dealing with injuries, including Scottie Barnes, Immanuel Quickley and Bruce Brown. The 6’6” Lawson will add depth to the wing positions.

G League Notes: K. Brown, Nets, Djurisic, Pacers, Cavs, Suns

October 27th, 2024 at 7:48pm CST by Luke Adams

After being waived by Indiana’s NBA team earlier this month, Kendall Brown won’t suit up for the Pacers‘ G League squad this season either. The Long Island Nets announced in a press release on Saturday that they’ve acquired Brown’s returning rights from the Indiana Mad Ants in exchange for the returning rights to guard Au’Diese Toney, a 2025 second-round pick, and a 2026 first-rounder.

Brown was the 48th overall pick in the 2022 draft, but played sparingly in his first two professional seasons with the Pacers, appearing in just 21 games and logging 103 total minutes at the NBA level. The 6’7″ swingman had a far more substantial role in the G League, where he put up 17.3 points, 5.0 rebounds, and 2.8 assists in 34.1 minutes per contest across 36 total outings for the Mad Ants last season.

Brown is one of several players with NBA experience who is part of Long Island’s training camp roster, which the team announced on Sunday (via Twitter). That group of former NBA players also includes A.J. Lawson, Amari Bailey, Colin Castleton, and former NBA lottery pick Killian Hayes.

Here are a few more notes from around the G League:

As expected, Hawks forward Nikola Djurisic, the No. 43 overall pick in this year’s draft, signed a G League contract and will open the season with the College Park Skyhawks while he recovers from offseason foot surgery. He said during Sunday’s media day that he’s started doing on-court work but isn’t taking contact yet and is still doing 1-on-0 drills, tweets Kevin Chouinard of Hawks.com. Atlanta will continue to control Djurisic’s NBA rights, so he’s essentially a draft-and-stash player who’s playing domestically rather than in a league overseas.
The Indiana Mad Ants formally announced their training camp roster on Sunday (via Twitter). The Pacers‘ G League affiliate includes former NBA players like swingman Dakota Mathias, forward Cameron McGriff, and former No. 3 overall pick Jahlil Okafor.
The Cleveland Charge (the Cavaliers‘ affiliate) has officially announced its coaching staff and its training camp roster for the coming season. First-year head coach Chris Darnell will lead a group that includes former NBAers Jacob Gilyard, Chandler Hutchison, and Zhaire Smith, among others.
Veteran NBA forward Mamadi Diakite and former second-round pick Cassius Stanley are among the headliners on the first training camp roster announced (via Twitter) by the Valley Suns, who are embarking upon their first year in the G League.

Nets Notes: Claxton, Simmons, Thomas, Lawson

October 22nd, 2024 at 12:19pm CST by Luke Adams

Sixth-year center Nic Claxton will enter the 2024/25 season as the Nets‘ longest-tenured player. Although he’s still just 25 years old, he’s ready to take on the challenge of being a veteran leader on a Brooklyn roster that features 10 players younger than him, as Peter Botte of The New York Post writes.

“I had a lot of really good vets since I’ve been in the league, and I’ve been able to soak up a lot of knowledge from a lot of different players (and) coaches,” Claxton said on Monday. “DeAndre Jordan, Blake (Griffin), KD (Kevin Durant), Kyrie (Irving), James (Harden), Caris (LeVert), It’s so many dudes and I’m a sponge. I’m always just listening, and I remember things. So just using what I’ve learned from those guys and from all the things that I’ve seen out there on the court, helping others, and also just taking my game to another level.”

Claxton missed the entire preseason due to a hamstring injury, but he went through a full practice on Monday and said he’ll be “ready to go” for the season opener in Atlanta on Wednesday, according to Botte. Head coach Jordi Fernandez declined to say whether or not his starting center will be on a minutes restriction to open the season.

“That’s a good question and I’m not answering for obvious reasons because I’m not giving out secrets, but he’s doing very well,” Fernandez said. “We’re very happy with where he’s at physically right now. Health is the No. 1 priority for us and he’s done a really good job.”

Here’s more on Claxton and the Nets:

After signing a four-year, $97MM contract as a free agent in July, Claxton said he feels like a “weight has been lifted” from his shoulders entering this fall, per Botte. “It’s my first time I feel like I’m not worried about the contract, I’m not worrying that I need to stay healthy, I just need to go out here and just have fun playing the game of basketball,” Claxton said. “I just wanna feel like a kid again and just enjoy this with a younger group.”
The Nets’ front office is trying to tank, their new head coach is looking to build a winning culture, and many of their players will enter the year with something to prove, Brian Lewis writes for the New York Post (subscription required) in a preview of Brooklyn’s season. Figuring out who will and won’t be able to achieve those seemingly contradictory goals will go a long way toward determining what sort of year it will be in Brooklyn, as Lewis details.
Lewis also published a Nets season preview for non-subscribers of The Post, posing five burning questions for the team, including whether Ben Simmons can stay healthy and whether Cam Thomas can establish himself as a franchise cornerstone. Lewis’ preview includes several other predictions for the season and suggests the most important decision Brooklyn makes in 2024/25 will be determining who to trade — and when.
Former Mavericks guard A.J. Lawson, who was waived by Dallas (twice) ahead of the regular season, is expected to join the Long Island Nets, Brooklyn’s G League affiliate, for the start of the 2024/25 campaign, league sources tell Michael Scotto of HoopsHype (Twitter link). Lawson appeared in a total of 56 NBA games for the Mavericks during his two seasons with the team, including 42 in 2023/24. He averaged 3.4 points and 1.3 rebounds in 7.4 minutes per contest and posted a shooting line of .457/.307/.548 at the NBA level.
Day’Ron Sharpe (hamstring), Trendon Watford (hamstring), and Bojan Bogdanovic (foot) are expected to be the only Nets players not available for the regular season opener on Wednesday, tweets Lewis. Everyone else should be available.
In case you missed it, three Nets – Thomas, Sharpe, and Ziaire Williams – were among the 13 players eligible for rookie scale extensions who didn’t sign new contracts ahead of Monday’s deadline and are now on track for free agency in 2025.

Mavericks Cut Lawson, Miller, Sharp; Convert Gortman To Two-Way

October 18th, 2024 at 7:03pm CST by Rory Maher

7:03pm: Gortman’s conversion to a two-way contract is official, the Mavericks have confirmed (via Twitter).

12:01pm: Gortman, who was drawing interest from rival clubs, will be promoted to Dallas’ final two-way spot, a source tells MacMahon (Twitter link).

11:35am: The Mavericks announced in a press release (Twitter link) that they have waived guard A.J. Lawson, forward Emanuel Miller and center Jamarion Sharp.

Lawson being cut comes as something of a surprise. Dallas waived Lawson and his non-guaranteed standard contract 10 days ago, but brought him back on a two-way deal after he cleared waivers. Just a week later, he has been released for a second time this preseason.

Lawson signed a two-year, two-way contract with Dallas back in December 2022, shortly after being waived by Minnesota. He remained on that deal until March 2024, when he was promoted to the standard roster on a new four-year contract that was only guaranteed for the remainder of the 2023/24 season.

The 24-year-old appeared in a total of 56 NBA games for the Mavericks during his two seasons with the team, including 42 in 2023/24. Lawson averaged 3.4 points and 1.3 rebounds in 7.4 minutes per contest and posted a shooting line of .457/.307/.548 at the NBA level. The former South Carolina standout also played seven times for the Texas Legends in the G League last season, averaging 20.7 PPG and 7.0 RPG with a .530 FG%.

Former Overtime Elite guard Jazian Gortman — who has continued to impress during preseason action, per Grant Afseth of Dallas Hoops Journal (Substack link) — seems like the frontrunner to land the two-way vacancy created by waiving Lawson, according to Tim MacMahon of ESPN and Eddie Sefko of Mavs.com (Twitter links). Gortman could have his Exhibit 10 deal converted to a two-way deal.

Miller and Sharp went undrafted this year out of TCU and Mississippi, respectively. Both players were on Exhibit 10 deals and will likely be headed to the Texas Legends — Dallas’ G League affiliate — to begin their pro careers. They could each earn a bonus worth $77.5K if they spend at least 60 days with the Legends.

Dallas now has 18 players under contract, though they’ll need to convert Gortman to a two-way deal to make their roster legal for the regular season. The Mavs’ other two-way spots are occupied by guard Brandon Williams and forward Kessler Edwards.

Southwest Notes: Popovich, Lawson, Murphy, Morant, Jackson Jr.

October 14th, 2024 at 7:31pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Spurs coach Gregg Popovich has put his players, particularly the less experienced ones, on notice. The longtime coach will be much less forgiving of mistakes this season, he told Tom Orsborn of the San Antonio Express-News.

“I think if anything it’s a little less tolerance,” he said. “We have been since the beginning (of training camp) … a little bit more disciplined in the sense of accountability, knowing that mistakes happen too often – (telling players) ‘You need to understand that by now.'”

Tre Jones believes it’s natural for Popovich to take that approach as expectations rise.

“A lot of us didn’t have a lot of those experiences we went through the last couple of years,” Jones said, “but now that we’ve had them and now that we’ve brought in guys that are helping us learn those things as well, you can’t make those same mistakes over and over again. There’s no room for that, if we want to win.”

We have more from the Southwest Division:

A.J. Lawson said he’s benefited significantly in Mavericks training camp, working alongside stars Luka Doncic, Kyrie Irving and Klay Thompson, he told Grant Afseth of Sportskeeda.com. “Every day you learn something new with these guys,” Lawson said. “They’re great at what they do—Kyrie is one of the best ball-handlers, Luka is one of the best players, and Klay is one of the best shooters. Having these guys on the same team is a lot to learn from. I can take shooting techniques from Klay, ball-handling and decision-making from Kai, and learn how to run the floor with Luka. There’s so much opportunity as a wing player like me, and I’m excited for this season.” Lawson signed a two-way contract with Dallas over the weekend shortly after he was waived by the club from his standard deal.
It has been another rough preseason for the Pelicans’ Trey Murphy. He was sidelined at the beginning of last season with a left knee injury. Now, he’s dealing with a right hamstring strain that will keep him out of action at the start of this season. “Very tough,” Murphy told Christian Clark of the New Orleans Times Picayune. “Not starting the season again hurts me a lot. Doing everything I can summer-wise to be prepared for a season and having that happen really sucks. But just looking at it with perspective, it could be a lot worse. Good thing it’s an NBA season. I’ll be there for the majority of it.” Murphy will be a restricted free agent next summer unless he signs a rookie scale extension by Oct. 21.
Ja Morant and Jaren Jackson Jr. are being held out of the rest of the preseason due to minor ailments. Grizzlies coach Taylor Jenkins wants his stars to make the best of training camp in other ways. “I actually talked to both of those guys about being fully invested in all the practice reps and using their voices,” Jenkins said, per Michael Wallace of GrindCityMedia.com. “I want them to get mental reps, whether it’s through film sessions or their teammates’ film feedback that they’re getting. They’ve been ever present, so we’re going to make the most of the situation over the next week-plus. And thankfully, they’re going to be ready for opening night.”

Mavericks Ink A.J. Lawson To Two-Way Contract

October 10th, 2024 at 4:56pm CST by Tristan Tucker

4:56 pm: Lawson’s new two-way deal with the Mavericks is now official, according to the NBA’s transaction log.

3:31 pm: The Mavericks are bringing back wing A.J. Lawson to a two-way contract, according to ESPN’s Shams Charania (Twitter link).

Dallas originally waived Lawson on Tuesday from a standard contract. He was signed to a two-year, two-way contract in 2022 by the Mavericks and was converted to a standard deal in March of this year. With the team facing a roster crunch after bringing back Markieff Morris, Lawson’s non-guaranteed contract was waived. Because he only has two years of NBA service, he was eligible to sign back to a two-way deal.

Lawson averaged 18.4 points in Summer League for Dallas and appeared in 42 games with the team last year. Having also spent time with the Timberwolves, he holds a career average of 3.4 PPG across 57 total outings. He averaged 20.7 PPG and 7.0 RPG last year in the G League.

The Mavericks have a two-way slot open, with only Brandon Williams and Kessler Edwards claiming those spots for now. That means no other move will be required to bring Lawson back in.