What is a two-way contract in the NBA?: Everything explained

What is a two-way contract in the NBA?: Everything explained

Lenah Ann
updated at April 12, 2023 at 8:19 PM

A player's growth and potential transition to the NBA may benefit from playing at the highest levels of European professional basketball and being paid substantially more than the G-League do. In a nutshell, bilateral contracts give NBA candidates a clear route to the NBA, which attracts them to the G-League.

What is a two-way contract in the NBA?
What is a two-way contract in the NBA?: Everything explained. Photo: D Miralle (Modified by author)
Source: Getty Images

A bilateral agreement may be obtained excellently in the G-League, while a standard deal can be obtained excellently in the NBA. The National Basketball Association has immensely invested significant effort in the last several seasons, improving its developmental pipelines.

What is a two-way contract in the NBA?

NBA clubs can promote two more players in addition to the regular season's 15 thanks to two-way contracts. These players frequently transfer between the NBA and the G League, but they stay under the team's supervision and are protected from other organizations' debauchery.

Prior to the 2017–18 NBA season, a collective agreement between the NBA and the National Basketball Players Association, NBPA introduced bilateral contracts to the league. Only because Payton was free to join any team without being tied to the Rockets was this addition made feasible.

How does a two-way contract work in the NBA?
Aaron Gordon of the Denver Nuggets reacts after a made basket against the Dallas Mavericks in the first half at Ball Arena on 6 December 2022 in Denver, Colorado. Photo: Justin Tafoya
Source: Getty Images

When was the two-way contract in the NBA formed?

Bilateral contracts first appeared in the NBA before the 2017-18 season.

What is a two-way contract worth in the NBA?

According to that NBA communique, each two-way player will get a flat wage for the 2021–22 season, equivalent to 50% of the minimum salary applicable to a player without prior service.

While there is no cap on practices, workouts, or other activities with the NBA club, a player with a two-way contract is only allowed to participate in 50 games on the active roster of the NBA team during the regular season.

Additionally, the 2021–22 season will not have a deadline for signing two-way contracts, which is a departure from the NBA provision that forbids teams from signing a player to a two-way deal after 15 January of any season.

What does a NBA two-way contract mean?
Kevin Love of the Cleveland Cavaliers shoots over LeBron James of the Los Angeles Lakers during the first half at Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse on 6 December 2022 in Cleveland, Ohio. Photo: Jason Miller
Source: Getty Images

According to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski, the two-way rules are expected to go back to normal during the 2022/23 season.

NBA two-way contracts will remain half the minimum rookie contracts for the 2022-2023 season -- $502K with a limitation of 50 regular-season games and no playoff eligibility.

How does a two-way contract work in the NBA?

Besides its 15-man roster, each team is allowed a few two-way places. A two-way contract can be agreed upon by players with less than four years of NBA experience and a franchise.

Teams aren't allowed to offer a player a two-way deal for more than three seasons, though. Options are not permitted, and the agreements are only valid for two years.

What does an NBA two-way contract mean?

A two-way contract in professional sports states that the league an athlete is allocated to play determines how much they will be paid. The agreement, which allows teams to keep undrafted players on retainer without requiring them to sign full-time contracts, was created to help players who were not selected in the NBA Draft.

What is a two-way contract worth in the NBA?
Orlando Robinson of the Sioux Falls Skyforce grabs the rebound during the game against the Wisconsin Herd at the Sanford Pentagon on 6 December 2022 in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. Photo: Dave Eggen
Source: Getty Images

Meaning a player is eligible to sign a contract with a franchise in the NBA and participate for both the NBA club and the G-League affiliate. For instance, if a player signs a two-way contract with the Chicago Bulls, he will be eligible to play for the Windy City Bulls, Chicago's G-League team.

Which NBA players are on two-way deals in 2022/23?

Since the inception of the two-way strategy, players have found fit to try it, and so far, some of them have signed to it. For the 2022/23 season, here is a compiled list of the two-way players in the first two years.

Atlanta Hawks

  • Trent Forrest
  • Jarrett Culver

Boston Celtics

  • JD Davison
  • Mfiondu Kabengele

Brooklyn Nets

  • Alondes Williams
  • David Duke

Charlotte Hornets

  • Bryce McGowens
  • Theo Maledon

Chicago Bulls

What is a two-way contract in the NBA?
Zach LaVine of the Chicago Bulls drives to the basket during the game against the Sacramento Kings on 4 December 2022 at Golden 1 Center in Sacramento, California. Photo: Rocky Widner
Source: Getty Images

Cleveland Cavaliers

  • Isaiah Mobley
  • Mamadi Diakite

Dallas Mavericks

  • Tyler Dorsey
  • McKinley Wright IV

Denver Nuggets

  • Collin Gillespie
  • Jack White

Detroit Pistons

  • Braxton Key
  • Buddy Boeheim

Golden State Warriors

  • Ty Jerome
  • Anthony Lamb

Houston Rockets

  • Trevor Hudgins
  • Darius Days

Indiana Pacers

  • Kendall Brown
  • Trevelin Queen

Los Angeles Clippers

  • Moussa Diabate
  • Moses Brown

Los Angeles Lakers

  • Scotty Pippen Jr
  • Cole Swider

Memphis Grizzlies

  • Kenneth Lofton Jr
  • Vince Williams Jr

Miami Heat

  • Jamal Cain
  • Dru Smith

Milwaukee Bucks

  • Sandro Mamukelashvili
  • AJ Green
What is a two-way contract worth in the NBA?
Giannis Antetokounmpo of the Milwaukee Bucks drives to the basket during the game against the Orlando Magic on 5 December 2022 at Amway Center in Orlando, Florida. Photo: Fernando Medina
Source: Getty Images

Minnesota Timberwolves

  • Eric Paschall
  • Luka Garza

New Orleans Pelicans

  • Dereon Seabron
  • E.J. Liddell

New York Knicks

  • Feron Hunt
  • Trevor Keels

Oklahoma City Thunder

  • Lindy Waters III
  • Eugene Omoruyi

Orlando Magic

  • Admiral Schofield
  • Kevon Harris

Philadelphia 76ers

  • Julian Champagnie
  • Michael Foster Jr

Phoenix Suns

  • Duane Washington Jr
  • Ish Wainright

Portland Trail Blazers

  • Olivier Sarr
  • John Butler

Sacramento Kings

  • Keon Ellis
  • Neemias Queta

San Antonio Spurs

  • Dominick Barlow
  • Jordan Hall

Toronto Raptors

What does a NBA two-way contract mean?
Hassani Gravett of the Raptors 905 defends against Kobi Simmons of the Greensboro Swarm at the Paramount Fine Foods Centre on 6 December 2022 in Mississauga, Ontario. Photo: Christian Bonin
Source: Getty Images
  • Ron Harper Jr
  • Jeff Dowtin

Utah Jazz

  • Johnny Juzang
  • Micah Potter

Washington Wizards

  • Jordan Schakel
  • Jordan Goodwin

Players on two-way contracts can be converted to standard deals until the last day of any regular season. Therefore, stay tuned as Sportsbrief.com will soon update yet another list displaying other basketball players who opted for two-way contracts.

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Authors
Lenah Ann photo
Lenah Ann
Lenah Ann is a Kenyan-based content creator with 2 years of experience. She graduated with a Bachelor's Degree in Mass Media and Communication from Dedan Kimathi, Kenya in 2021.