Lawson spent a lot of time in the weight room this offseason

In order to make sure he isn’t so easily pushed around on the court this season, A.J. Lawson left the court following the final game of the 2022-23 season last April with a sure-fire plan.

“This year I spent a lot of time in the weight room,” Lawson said. “I definitely got stronger. I put on a few pounds.

“I feel like me gaining that weight, it gave myself more confidence.”

A 6-6, 185-pound guard for the Mavericks, Lawson, more than anything, would like to get to where he’s in a more stable position. In the 2022 calendar year, Lawson was part of five different organizations.

Lawson started 2022 with the College Park Skyhawks, who are the G League affiliates of the Atlanta Hawks. From there, he played for the Guelph Nighthawks of the Canadian Elite Basketball League.

Then it was back to the Skyhawks, to the Minnesota Timberwolves and to the Iowa Wolves – the Timberwolves’ G League affiliates – before signing a two-way contract with the Mavs on Dec. 26, 2022.

In nine games for the Skyhawks last season, Lawson averaged a team-high tying 21.2 points, 6.2 rebounds and 1.4 steals while shooting a nifty 57.7 percent from the field and 36.6 percent from three-point land. And in four games for the Wolves last season he averaged 17 points, 6.5 rebounds and 1.8 steals and shot 42.4 percent from the floor.

Lawson played just 14 games for the Mavs and averaged 3.9 points in 7.6 minutes while shooting 48.8 percent from the field and 40 percent from beyond the three-point arc.

Expected to spend time with the Texas Legends – the Mavs’ G League team – this season, since he’s on a two-way contract, Lawson said he’ll: “Just keep building confidence and whenever it’s my time to get up to the NBA again, just show the work that I put in and be confident out there and show that I’m ready.”

Lawson, 23, knows what coach Jason Kidd expects from him this season.

“My role is going to be to defend, space out the floor and run to the corner and feed me in transition,” he said. “Or get out and run and show my athleticism.”

Lawson also wants to show that his shot is much better than it has been in the past.

“I spent a lot of time in the gym shooting, and my shot is more consistent,” he said. “I bring it up higher now and it’s one of my strengths.”

And that’s not all.

“To help the team, I’ve got to defend,” Lawson said. “I feel like I can move my feet real well, and that’s been like a big focus this offseason.”

That, along with spending a lot of time in the weight room.

X: @DwainPrice