A.J. Lawson excited to join hometown Toronto Raptors on two-way contract

TORONTO — Most Torontonians loathe the city's downtown traffic but its slow pace gave A.J. Lawson the chance to soak in the fact that he's now a member of his hometown Raptors.

Lawson signed a two-way contract with Toronto and Raptors 905, its G-League affiliate, last Wednesday. He said it didn't sink in, however, until he was slowly driving up to OVO Athletic Centre, the Raptors' practice facility, for morning shootaround.

"I think it probably is gonna hit me again when I line up for 'O Canada' and the national anthems," said Lawson on Monday before Toronto's 122-121 loss to the Chicago Bulls. "Definitely going to have my moment there again, for sure.

"I've got to make sure my head is level and have a nice, strong focus for the game."

Lawson lined up for the national anthems beside his childhood friend RJ Barrett. Both grew up in neighbouring Mississauga, Ont., and played basketball together in middle and high school.

Their paths to the NBA have been very different though.

Barrett was picked third overall by the New York Knicks in the 2019 NBA Draft, making his pro debut the next season.

Lawson went undrafted before joining the College Park Skyhawks, the minor league club for the Atlanta Hawks, in 2022. He then played a season with the Canadian Elite Basketball League's Guelph Nighthawks that summer, a decision that he said put him on a path to the NBA because it got him in shape to join the Dallas Mavericks' summer league team.

"I was ready after that off the get go, and then that's how I got my first two-way contract after that," said Lawson in the Raptors locker room. "I feel like the CEBL was a great stepping-stone for me, get my confidence, get me in game shape, and keep me in focus and ready to ball out."

Lawson has career averages of 3.4 points, 1.2 rebounds and 7.4 minutes in 57 career NBA games with Dallas 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 G League season and 20 points, 7.4 rebounds and 31.9 minutes in 22 games with the Legends, Iowa Wolves and College Park in the 2022-23 campaign.

The six-foot-six, 185-pound guard Lawson averaged 24 points, 6.6 rebounds, 2.6 assists and 35.1 minutes in 11 games (all starts) this season with the Long Island Nets, the G League affiliate of the Brooklyn Nets, before signing with the Toronto organization.

"We're very excited to have him with our team," said Raptors head coach Darko Rajakovic. "I had a chance to speak with him this morning as well. He’s very, very excited, obviously this is a dream coming true for him to be playing for the Raptors.

"We're excited to learn more about him, his game and to help him out on his path."

Lawson's determined to help in any way he can, especially as Toronto continues to struggle with injuries to key players such as all-star Scottie Barnes, point guard Immanuel Quickley, and centre Jakob Poeltl.

"My goal is just to stay ready whenever they call me, today or the next game or whenever," said Lawson. "I just want to stay ready and show that I'm an NBA player, that I can defend at a high level, shoot the ball at a high level.

"Just keep being me, playing in transition, and being a good guy, being an energy guy, utility guy."

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 16, 2024.

Follow @jchidleyhill.bsky.social on Bluesky.

John Chidley-Hill, The Canadian Press