Minnesota Sports Forum

lipoli390 wrote:Just noticed. Had terrible shooting stats in 13 G-League games last season. Shot 39% from the field and 33.3% from behind the arc. Only got to the line 1.5 times. Not much of a dribble drive game. He rebounds well statistically. But otherwise, he just looks like a perimeter shooter who didn't shot well from behind the arc in college or the G-League and who was bad overall from the field in the G-League. I guess our scouts see something in him. He looks athletic and bouncy. And the shooting form looks good. But his shooting and overall skill set seems unimpressive.

Lip the G-league stats are a little frustrating to look up because they have them broke up between various parts of the season. Lawson was another guy I had noticed had a good summer league but I misread the summer league stats on real Gm and thought he had played in the other leagues earlier this year and struggled. Oops. lol anyways Realgm is one site that puts the g-league stats all together so there is less guesswork. In 33 games he shot 48% from the floor and 34% from 3. That team had a bunch of scorers including Justin Tillman who can't jump that high but has incredible touch in the paint at that level.

Some scouting reports I read praised his defense and/or defensive upside. He doesn't have a massive wingspan but like I said before the draft maybe that's a positive for a shooter. :)

monsterpile wrote:

lipoli390 wrote:Just noticed. Had terrible shooting stats in 13 G-League games last season. Shot 39% from the field and 33.3% from behind the arc. Only got to the line 1.5 times. Not much of a dribble drive game. He rebounds well statistically. But otherwise, he just looks like a perimeter shooter who didn't shot well from behind the arc in college or the G-League and who was bad overall from the field in the G-League. I guess our scouts see something in him. He looks athletic and bouncy. And the shooting form looks good. But his shooting and overall skill set seems unimpressive.

Lip the G-league stats are a little frustrating to look up because they have them broke up between various parts of the season. Lawson was another guy I had noticed had a good summer league but I misread the summer league stats on real Gm and thought he had played in the other leagues earlier this year and struggled. Oops. lol anyways Realgm is one site that puts the g-league stats all together so there is less guesswork. In 33 games he shot 48% from the floor and 34% from 3. That team had a bunch of scorers including Justin Tillman who can't jump that high but has incredible touch in the paint at that level.

Some scouting reports I read praised his defense and/or defensive upside. He doesn't have a massive wingspan but like I said before the draft maybe that's a positive for a shooter. :)

Yeah, it can get confusing. Thanks for the tip on Lawson's wingspan. Believe it or not, I hadn't looked it up yet. But you've solidified my view that signing him was a mistake. :)

Here's a good article about AJ. I knew nothing about him before learning that the Wolves signed him to our remaining two-way contract. The more I learn the better I feel about this signing. Again, we're just talking about a two-way contract so I don't want to make too much of this one way or the other. But I'm a bit intrigued.

https://www.si.com/nba/mavericks/news/dallas-mavs-aj-lawson-minnesota-timberwolves-sign-two-way-contract

I just watched the Jazz Vs Mavs so I got a look at some guys that are interesting including Lawson.

Bolmaro
The defense is there and he can handle the ball as a Pg but the skeptics that said they didn't think he could make it offensively had plenty to go off in this game. The one scoop shot he had that he made looked awkward. Still there can be some usefulness for a guy that has quickness and Athletic ability (really does move like a guard on D) thats 6'7" who can also handle the ball as a real PG has usefulness but if he can't hit 3's or score in the paint...well that's not a very valuable player. I know he didn't shoot well in SL so I know that it wasn't just this game.

Tacko Fall. The guy is big and he had a nice impact on this game but he still sometimes looks so weak out there. Still sometimes all that length comes in handy. I'd rather have a guy that is smaller and quicker and more athletic on my roster in the NBA.

Hardy played like it seems like he did in the G-league. Looked like basically a young ball hog. He has some skills and he puts forth effort but it was a bit ugly in terms of doing the right basketball things on offense.

Lawson
He didn't exactly stand out a ton for a lot of of the game. He wasn't all up on guys defensively he seemed to be playing a team concept more. He was always communicating though and was quick to make switches and seemed to know what he was supposed to do and he looked disciplined in what he was supposed to be doing. He looks like a guy that plays a complimentary form of basketball and he did have some nice plays going to the basket especially one possession in transition he had a nice step around move for what became an easy finish. He isn't a guy that's gonna break defenses down off the dribble in iso or anything but has looks to be able to attack close outs and handle the ball around the floor enough to be part of the offense. He seems to make quick decisions with the ball and move it so very much a ball mover type. He looks like a guy with high basketball IQ.

Late in the game when Dallas was making a run he was on the ball handler from the start and he was putting plenty of pressure on them. He went from being a playing team concept to being more of a pest that guys couldn't drive on. Bolmaro was completely stoned by him at least once and then later it was Butler trying to drive on him and Lawson stayed in front of him and each tile Butler didn't get even close to an angle. On 1 possession Butler had driven in about 16 feet in and couldn't do anything so he took a step back shot where he actually good good separation that Lawson either blocked or close to it and I'm not sure it even hit the rim. There was a couple times earlier in the game where I noticed Lawson being able to really stay right in front of guys making a strong drive. He also had 2 blocks one which was a really nice hustle come from behind one that he spiked off the back board. At the end of the game Lawson had played a team high 33 minutes scored 15 points of 6-11 shooting 12 rebounds 2 assists 1 steal 2 blocks and no turnovers.

FWIW Earlier in the game they interviewed Jason Kidd and they asked him about Lawson and Kidd said he was really impressed with him and said he is absolutely an NBA player and someone will pick him up if we don't.

Do I think Lawson is awesome after watching this game and some G-league clips and a highlight of a college game he played in? No but I do like what I see in that he seems like a guy that has the possible ability to be a good complementary guy maybe more along the lines of a Danny Green than someone that plays D and can gets buckets off the dribble which I think is more of the vision for Harris. Lawson does have a nice looking shot. Do I think he is better than Kevon Harris? Idk but it doesn't hurt that he is 3 years younger and he had somewhat similar success last year in the g-league as Harris. Like I said in the other thread I'd rather go with a bit more of an upside swing with this 2 way player and I think these guys are pretty comparable right now and so I'll take the younger guy who also shot the ball well in SL.

Also FWIW there are a lot of Mavs fans out there that are pissed and or disappointed the Mavs didn't keep Lawson.

We still have one more regular roster spot. Let's give it to Kevon Harris. :)

lipoli390 wrote:We still have one more regular roster spot. Let's give it to Kevon Harris. :)

Have some respect. This is AJ Lawson's thread. :)

He's back!!!! Everything is fine again