In an effort to reward and retain talented players at the minor league level, NBA teams are now able to sign up to two players to “two-way contracts” for the 2017-18 season. A player under a two-way contract can spend a maximum of 45 days with their NBA team, while in turn, spending the rest of the season honing their skills with the G League affiliate.
In an interview with MSG Network’s Rebecca Haarlow, Westchester Knicks General Manager Allan Houston discussed the benefits of these new pacts and how they will keep New York and Westchester connected.
“It’s great,” Houston said. “This is the first year of the two-way contracts and it really protects the player to be able to stay with us. So many times, you have a player that you really want to have interest in and they want to develop with your organization and they’re vulnerable to go into another team, so this allows Luke [Kornet], who will be with us on a two-way contract throughout the year — he’ll be in the G League, but he’ll have extended time with the Knicks too; either on the road or whenever we decide it is best for him.”
2 Ways & 10 Days has listed all the of the caveats of a two-way contract. The maximum salary a player under a two-way contact can earn is approximately $275,000 per season. The only way for the player to earn the $275,000 is to play the entire 45 days with the team. If a player excels during his 45 days with said team, the two-way deal can be converted into a standard contract at the NBA minimum.
The prospects are able to play with their NBA team before the start of G League training camp and after the minor league club’s season concludes. That time won’t be factored in to the maximum 45 days the player can spend in the NBA. Such prospects will not qualify, however, to play in their NBA team’s playoff games. The players who sign a two-way contract only can play for their NBA affiliate and are not eligible to receive a call-up from another NBA team.
The Knicks open their season on Oct. 19, so it looks like the team will begin the campaign with one two-way contract available. The deadline for players to sign a two-way contract is Jan. 15.
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