3 studs, 2 duds from Mavericks Summer League win over Pacers

1. Stud - AJ Lawson

The Dallas Mavericks have already locked up AJ Lawson on a two-way contract heading into next season, and he’s making their decision to retain him look amazing.

On a team full of elite athletes, as that is seemingly the archetype the Mavericks were targeting heading into Summer League, the springy, 6-foot-6 wing has stood out among the rest.

Lawson’s athleticism somehow jumped off the page on a team with a ton of other athletes, such as Brandon Randolph, Olivier-Maxence Prosper, and Dereck Lively II. This was highlighted by an incredible slam against the Indiana Pacers.

In Dallas’ game against Indiana, Lawson finished the night with a game-high 24 points to go along with four rebounds and two steals. Lawson shot 10-of-12 from the field and 2-of-3 from behind the three-point line.

The most impressive stat of that group, however, isn’t the point total - it’s the three-point efficiency. Three-point shooting has been the weakness of Lawson’s game, but he showed a little improvement against Indiana.

If Lawson can develop a consistent three-point shot and continue to display the athleticism and energy he showed against the Pacers (and throughout all of Summer League), he could be an intriguing player for the Mavericks to keep ahold of moving forward.