In a very compelling move, the Milwaukee Bucks recently signed point guard TyTy Washington to a two-way deal.
Although not needle-tipping, the move helps strengthen Milwaukee’s backcourt, which is among the weaker parts of the roster right now. Speaking of Milwaukee’s current roster, it’s now full with 18 players made up of 15 standard contracts and three two-way deals. Washington was a pretty interesting player to give that final roster spot to, so let’s dive in and grade the move.
The financial aspect of TyTy Washington’s deal with the Milwaukee Bucks
Washington signed a two-way deal, so it’s not very cost-heavy for Milwaukee. In fact, two-ways do not count toward a team’s total cap figures. Though the 21-year-old will make around $500K next season, which is typically the standard two-way salary for all players, it will not drastically impact the Milwaukee Bucks’ payroll.
Obviously, there’s no reason to hate the financial aspect of a two-way deal. In NBA terms, it is the very definition of a low-risk, low-cost move when adding a young player. However, this gets even sweeter when one realizes that Washington was a first round pick in 2022. The Bucks have now added a first round talent with a two-way spot, which is very rare.
In short, this is an excellent move for the Milwaukee Bucks from a financial perspective.
Looking at TyTy Washington’s fit and role with the Milwaukee Bucks
Given that he’s on a two-way deal, TyTy Washington is unlikely to play an overly prominent role as a Milwaukee Buck this season. Two-way players are limited in terms of how many games they can play with the NBA team they are signed to; they typically spend a good chunk of the season in the G-Leauge and get the occasional call-up. That will likely happen here.
It would not be too surprising to see Washington get some actual time with the Bucks due to their current lack of a backup point guard. Behind starter Jrue Holiday, Milwaukee does not have one on a standard deal. Lindell Wigginton and Washington, both on two-way deals, will likely be used on occasion to be the backup and handle the ball off of the bench.
Aside from those occasional stints with the Bucks, Washington will likely spend a good bit of time with the Wisconsin Herd, Milwaukee’s G-League affiliate. Under new coach Beno Udrih, the guard will have a solid chance to spread his wings and develop. Again, Washington is still 21 years old, so he’s got plenty of room to grow (He was drafted last year!).
Ultimately, Washington will be a nice option in Milwaukee’s back pocket they can use if they need another ball-handler on any given night, but he likely will not play too big of a role nightly.
TyTy Washington’s long-term outlook with the Milwaukee Bucks
The Milwaukee Bucks are clearly stocking up on long-term developmental pieces. They added an interesting cache of young players through the draft and free agency, including Washington. The second-youngest player on the official roster, Washington is yet another young piece that can be viewed as a long-term project who can hopefully become a long-term contributor for Milwaukee.
Washington could look to follow A.J. Green’s trail. Green played his rookie season with the Bucks on a two-way deal. After a solid year, he inked a standard deal with Milwaukee. If Washington’s performance catches some eyes when he does play, the Bucks could absolutely aim to keep him around on a standard deal beyond this season.
For many years now, the Bucks have been struggling to find a stable backup point guard. Whether it’s Washington, Wigginton, or another surprising name, the team will likely test out a handful of their younger players in the role. If one of them performs well, they could certainly earn the job for the long haul. It would be a huge boost if the future backup point guard is already in-house.
Could Washington end the recent revolving door or backup point guards in Milwaukee? It’s far too early to tell just yet, but the opportunity is up for grabs.
The verdict on TyTy Washington’s deal with the Milwaukee Bucks
There’s hardly anything to dislike about this deal. The point guard needy Bucks just added a former first round pick from a year ago on a two-way roster spot; that’s a huge win. Washington won’t be the ultimate needle-tipping addition, but he adds more youth and potential to this roster and can also help out at a position the team is thin at when called upon.
Again, this coming season will likely be about learning and developing. The 21-year-old could learn quite a bit from this unit and will likely spend quite a bit of time getting tips from Jrue Holiday, who is obviously a great player at the position. If he shows enough in practice and games, No. 23 could stick around in Milwaukee for quite a while; it could maybe even be years and years.
There’s a reason that Washington was a first round pick a year ago. The Bucks must now look to unearth that potential. After getting traded multiple times and cut this off-season, Washington’s chip on his shoulder is likely massive. The point guard will be looking to prove that he belongs in the NBA, and it will be interesting to see how he performs when given the chance.
Without a doubt, keep an eye on TyTy Washington this coming NBA season. The Milwaukee Bucks may have just picked up a huge steal on the free agent market.
BTBP Grade: A
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