Raptors convert AJ Lawson to standard NBA contract
The Toronto Raptors are rewarding a player that is one of their own – in more ways than one.
AJ Lawson’s two-way deal has been converted to a standard NBA contract, the Raptors announced on Saturday.
“Keep guarding the ball at the high level I am right now, keep shooting the ball at a good percentage, which I am, and I feel like once I get my opportunity, I’m just going to run with it,” Lawson told me of his path to being a full-time NBA player.
Lawson has spent the last two years as a depth wing in the Raptors system, shuttling back-and-forth from G League games at the Paramount Find Foods Centre in Mississauga, Ont. to Scotiabank Arena in Toronto. He’s also a homegrown talent, born in Toronto and raised in Brampton, Ont.
The 25-year-old has averaged only 9.3 minutes and 4 points over 23 NBA games off the bench this season, but has come on of late. Lawson’s gotten more of a foothold in the rotation and taken advantage, averaging 8.4 points on 54 percent shooting in his five most recent games, not including garbage time.
A G League Next Up Game representative in each of the last two seasons, Lawson has been dominant for the 905. He averaged 21.6 points per game on 47/36/79 shooting splits this past season to go along with 4.8 rebounds, 2.3 assists and 1.4 steals. He was named to the All-G League Second Team as a result.
Lawson’s conversion was made possible after the Raptors waived his 905 teammate, Tyreke Key, on Friday. Key was signed on Monday but did not appear in a game for the Raptors.
Last season Lawson was also converted to a standard contract towards the end of the season, before being waived and re-signing on a two-way to start 2025-26.
It stands to reason that Lawson would be outside of the Raptors’ bench rotation (Jamal Shead, Ja’Kobe Walter, Sandro Mamukelashvili and Collin Murray-Boyles) for the post-season, but he certainly could wind up playing spot minutes in a pinch.
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