Ty Lawson will not be part of the upcoming Chinese Basketball Association season, his team Fujian Sturgeons said Saturday, officially severing ties with the former NBA guard because of "inappropriate comments" he posted on social media.
Lawson, who played for Fujian the past season and led the team to a playoff run, has been in China since the end of the season.
In an Instagram story Sunday, Lawson said he meant no disrespect in his earlier posts.
"You're taking it too far," Lawson said of the reaction to his posts.
In a statement, the Sturgeons said Lawson posted inappropriate comments on Sept. 18, a violation of the team's "social responsibilities and core values" policy. Fujian did not offer specifics, other than to say Lawson would not be signed to a new deal.
Lawson, 32, was the 18th overall pick in the 2009 NBA draft by the Minnesota Timberwolves, who then traded him to the Denver Nuggets.
Lawson averaged 12.7 points and 6 assists in his eight-year NBA career that also included stops with the Houston Rockets, Indiana Pacers and Sacramento Kings.