Lawson, Prosper shine for Texas Legends

The Dallas Mavericks, despite playing like one of the best teams in the Western Conference so far this season, have a bit of a youth movement going at the back end of their rotation. Some, like Dereck Lively II, are quickly moving up the rookie ladder and making an early case for their spot on the NBA’s All-Rookie team.

Others, though, don’t have such an easy path to playing time or need more development, so they’re seeing some time with the Mavericks’ G League affiliate the Texas Legends. The Legends are three games into the season, and had their first two home games over the weekend. Here’s how the Mavericks’ two-way players and rookies assigned to the team fared:

Justin Jackson returns, Greg Brown III is worth keeping an eye on

In the first home game, former Mavericks player Justin Jackson led all scorers in a Legends loss to the Oklahoma City Blue. Jackson scored 26 points to go along with five rebounds and four assists. He’s still trying to catch on in the NBA, and if the Mavericks get in a roster pinch due to injuries, Jackson is a viable option for a end of the bench role.

Greg Brown III, meanwhile, didn’t put up eye-popping stats but showed some potential as a front court option. Brown scored 14 points and grabbed seven rebounds, as well as notching six blocks. He’ll have to get more disciplined, though. Brown got a technical foul in the first quarter and eventually fouled out. His size and athleticism will always be tantalizing, though, so if he finds a groove, he too could fill in for an emergency role sometime this season on a 10-day contract.

A.J. Lawson and Olivier-Maxence Prosper shine

The Legends won their second home game behind a big game from A.J. Lawson. The 6’6” swing man finished with a team-high 26 points to go along with seven rebounds. He also shot a perfect 3-of-3 from behind the arc. If the Mavericks happen to pull off a trade that sends several perimeter players out, it’s possible Lawson could find himself seeing some minutes for short stretches. Dallas could use Lawson’s size, it’s just a matter of him having the skills to contribute.

Olivier-Maxence Prosper was on the Legends for this game. He hasn’t been seeing minutes with the Mavericks, so this was likely to just get him some reps on the court. Dallas has already announced that he’ll be back with the Mavericks for their Sunday game against the New Orleans Pelicans. Prosper put up 19 points, nine rebounds, and four assists in his Legends debut.

The Mavericks could definitely use Prosper’s size right now, but they obviously feel like he isn’t ready to see consistent minutes in the NBA. Considering how well they brought along Jaden Hardy last season, there’s reason to trust their evaluation there. It’s encouraging to see him put up such a good stat line in his first big minutes of the season, though.