The NBA will reportedly allow two-way players on rosters when the season restarts, which means more reinforcements for the Milwaukee Bucks.
While there was some question as to whether players under two-way contracts would join their respective NBA teams in Orlando when the 2019-20 season restarts, we have some clarity on the situation (emphasis on the some).
According to The Athletic’s Shams Charania, the NBA will allow the 22 NBA teams set to take part in the season restart to have 17 players on their roster, which includes their two-way players.
Sources: The NBA is planning to allow teams to bring up to 17 players per roster (including two-ways) into the resumed season. Previous estimate was 15-player limit.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 11, 2020
For the Milwaukee Bucks, that means both Frank Mason III and Cam Reynolds will be along for the ride in Orlando, though it’s still unclear how many players will be active for games under this reworked format.
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The same goes for whether two-way players such as Mason and Reynolds will be eligible for postseason play as it hasn’t been the case since that rule was implemented for the 2017-18 season. Considering the circumstances and the many obstacles that remain, do we see that changing under these current parameters?
Regardless, being able to have both Mason and Reynolds in the fold will be key for a Bucks team that will look to tune up and find their rhythm in the eight games that remain when the season restarts.
The Milwaukee Bucks may turn to the two-way duo of Frank Mason III and Cam Reynolds when the season resumes, with the NBA allowing teams to bring 17 players to Orlando.
Of the two, Mason has seen more action up with the Bucks this season, having logged six appearances and playing a total of 53 minutes while averaging 2.3 points per game, 1.8 assists per game and 1.3 rebounds per game. Reynolds has yet to see a minute up with the Bucks and has yet to be active for a single game at this point.
While reps have been hard to come by with the Bucks and how established their rotation is at the NBA level, both Mason and Reynolds played starring roles down in the G League with the Wisconsin Herd during their 33-10 season that left them with the best record this season.
I’ve showered plenty of praise on Mason and highlighted how much his star has grown since arriving to the Bucks and playing for the Herd, where he finished as the leading scorer in the G League this year.
Reynolds has taken on more of a supporting role where he’s been asked to space the floor, bomb away from three and toggle between checking multiple positions on the defensive end.
A lengthy shooting slump deflated Reynolds’ efficiency year over year from his time with the Stockton Kings before he earned his call up to the Minnesota Timberwolves late last season. But the Tulane product still managed to average 14.8 points on .402/.343/.667 shooting splits, 5.2 rebounds and 1.7 assists through his 37 appearances this season.
While the Bucks will have the luxury of having both Mason and Reynolds available for action, we’ll have to see whether both or either of them will even record minutes when the season restarts. At this point, the Bucks still have to clinch the top seed in the East, even through that might not take long into the season restart, which is now slated to kick off on July 30 as ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reported Thursday afternoon.
Plenty has to still be sorted out with how two-way players will be utilized under this scenario, but the Bucks having the option of having Mason and Reynolds at their disposal may come in handy when the time comes.