Indiana Pacers Balance Skill And Potential With Use Of Two-Way Contracts

An updated rule in the NBA’s new Collective Bargaining Agreement allows teams to have three players signed to two-way contracts as opposed to two under the old CBA. That allows for more creativity with two-way deals, and the Indiana Pacers took advantage.

Two-way contracts are great for development. They are designed to allow a player to split time between the NBA and the G League, moving back and forth as their team sees fit. At times, that means the player is in the G League getting more playing time and developmental reps. In other instances, they are with their NBA club providing a boost.

The Pacers have had past success with two-way deals in both leagues. Edmond Sumner developed into a rotation player during his time with Indiana’s G League affiliate team, the Fort Wayne Mad Ants. He is now headed into his sixth NBA season. Alex Poythress, meanwhile, made nearly half of his NBA appearances during the 2017-18 season while on a two-way contract with the blue and gold.

Along the way, guys like Terry Taylor, Duane Washington Jr, Ben Moore, and Amida Brimah have had success in either the G League or the NBA while on a two-way deal with the Pacers. The franchise has used the resource well.

Now, Indiana has more two-ways to use. And they were creative with their usage of them this offseason.

The front office, led by President of Basketball Operations Kevin Pritchard, spread their three two-way contracts across each position group. Some of them are used on developmental projects. Others were given to players with established skills who need pro-level reps to grow. Both combinations could end up serving the Pacers well.

Center Oscar Tshiebwe was the first player that Indiana reportedly agreed to a two-way deal with. The big man averaged 16.5 points and 13.7 rebounds per game during his final season at the University of Kentucky. In 2022, he was named the college basketball player of the year.

The 23-year old center is older and more established as a player, and his appeal for NBA teams is his rebounding. He is a beast on the glass, and he averaged more than 17 rebounds per 40 minutes in the NCAA ranks.

He averaged 6.8 rebounds per game during Summer League play for the Pacers despite playing just over 13 minutes per game. Even against pros, he can scoop up misses better than most. That’s what Indiana hopes he can do in their organization.

In the G League, he can work on his other skills, such as his play finishing and pick-and-roll defense. In the NBA, when Tshiebwe gets playing time, he should be a known commodity when he’s on the hardwood. He’s going to hustle and grab boards. That type of player is ideal for a two-way contract. He can develop while being a factor, when needed, in the pros.

Isaiah Wong is in a similar boat. The guard was drafted 55th overall in the NBA Draft by the Pacers, and he agreed to a two-way deal with the team.

“He’s a very steady, solid guard that we liked throughout the (pre-draft) process, throughout the last couple of years at Miami,” Pacers general manager Chad Buchanan said of Wong. “He had a good workout for us.”

Wong, like Tshiebwe, was a four-year college player. He averaged 16.2 points and 3.2 assists per game in his final season with the Hurricane, and he helped lead his team to the Final Four. His resume leading up to the NBA was strong.

In the pros, his scoring projects to be his best skill. Wong averaged nearly 12 points per game during Summer League in under 18 minutes per game, and he closed out the exhibitions with a 24-point outing against the Detroit Pistons. He can put the ball through the net, and he left Las Vegas with a 45.2% field goal percentage and a 40% three-point percentage.

His other skills need refinement. He isn’t the best passer for a point guard, his defense needs work, and turnovers have been an issue in the past. In the G League, Wong can develop as a floor general. When called up to the NBA, he can give the Pacers a scoring punch for a few minutes. That’s a solid player type to have on a two-way deal.

Indiana’s final two-way contract went to Kendall Brown, who is returning to the Pacers for a second-straight season. He was on a two-way deal last year as well.

Brown is young and ridiculously athletic. His speed on the open floor is unmatched, and he can jump out of the gym. It’s functional, too — he uses his tools to cut and defend well. His traits make him valuable.

Indiana liked Brown enough to trade away assets to get him in the 2022 NBA Draft, and they gave him opportunities in both the pros and the G League last year. He averaged 1.5 points and 1.0 rebounds per game for the blue and gold last season in six appearances.

“He had a bad injury… but we really like him,” Pritchard said of Brown after the 2022-23 season ended. Brown only played in 26 total games last season due to a stress fracture in his right tibia.

Brown has something that can’t be taught in his athleticism and speed. That is worth investing in, especially since he doesn’t turn 21 until next May. But he needs to develop more of his on-ball skills, outside shot, and team defensive abilities. A two-way deal will allow him to grow faster and get reps at both the G League and NBA level.

Between Brown, Wong, and Tshiebwe, the Pacers have a strong two-way group. They brought in one guard, one forward, and one center, which could be important if the team needs to make a two-way call up due to injuries. Two of their two-way players are more ready to contribute but have less room to grow while another has a ton of space to develop but fewer immediate skills. They spread out their deals between projects and establish youngsters.

That’s smart business for a team that is both in a developing stage but hoping to take a step forward. Indiana’s two-way contracts are a zoomed-in view of their summer as a whole in that way, and they used the additional resource to their advantage.