On Sunday afternoon, the Dallas Mavericks lost at home to the Philadelphia 76ers, 120-116.
Dallas played most of the game in reverse, and the fourth-quarter comeback was too little, too late.
The Mavs have now lost four of their last five games, but there are many reasons why Dallas is struggling. Those reasons include head coach Jason Kidd's questionable rotation, Tim Hardaway Jr.'s struggles, and the overall inconsistency of nearly everyone on the roster.
According to a report from ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski, the Mavs lost the game at the worst possible time and are now filling their last roster spot.
Wojnarowski said the Mavericks converted winger AJ Lawson's two-way contract to a standard contract and currently have 15 players on standard contracts.
This season for the G League's Texas Legends, Lawson is averaging 20.7 points, 7.0 rebounds, 1.9 assists and 0.6 steals per game while shooting 53 percent from the field and 29.4 percent from downtown. Lawson is averaging 3.8 points and 1.2 rebounds per game while shooting 47.1 percent from the field this season for the Mavs.
Lawson hasn't played much for Dallas this season, but this deal allows him to maintain his status as Dallas' young core, whether or not he ends up playing for the Mavs. Dallas has gotten much younger over the past year, and Lawson could be a player who develops into a rotation piece for the Mavs.
Lawson brings great energy, is a good volume shooter, and has good athleticism. He has shown glimpses of being a good defender, but his thin frame doesn't allow for much versatility.
Don't expect Lawson to be a featured player in the rotation right away. But his potential, energy and shooting should excite Mavs fans. He can fill up the stat sheet in a hurry and will probably spend most of his time doing two things or three things.
Check out the latest information on AJ Lawson and the Dallas Mavericks this season.
