The Milwaukee Bucks have had an open two-way roster spot for over a month now. Pete Nance occupies one of the three eligible slots. Alex Antetokounmpo has the other. The third and final spot remains unfilled after the team suddenly waived Mark Sears last month. Why are the Bucks needlessly costing themselves a look at their next potential success story?
Bucks look foolish for ignoring available resources
It's not like their next two-way signee is likely to become a future piece of the franchise. It's also true that you never know. Ryan Rollins played his way from a two-way contract to a standard one to a three-year deal in free agency. This season, he is a Most Improved Player candidate.
AJ Green has established himself as a key role player and signed a four-year, $45 million extension in October after initially starting his career on a two-way.
For his part, Nance looks very much like a capable rotation player in the Bucks' future. The team would have no idea about any of them if not for an opportunity on a two-way agreement.
Sears being waived without warning came as something of a surprise. Despite glimpses of playmaking promise, the Bucks saw enough in seven games to determine that the former All-American Alabama guard was not worth a spot. Sears rejoined Milwaukee's G League affiliate shortly after, but the fact that they haven't replaced him just makes the decision stranger.
Is Jon Horst waiting around for the perfect two-way signee to come free from another team's roster? Does he already have a name in mind? Milwaukee has until March 4 to fill the final two-way slot. After that date, the team will no longer be able to sign two-way players or convert existing two-way deals into standard contracts.
Why the Bucks have already stalled this long is a puzzle. They burned an additional slot on Giannis Antetokounmpo's brother, who has been inactive on Milwaukee's roster most of the season while averaging 3.4 points per game for the Wisconsin Herd in the G League. Effectively, Nance is their only serious investment, and he arguably deserves a promotion to the regular 15-player group.
Admittedly, two-way players tend to have capped ceilings, making them a low-priority point of focus. But for a team like the Bucks with a dismal draft record and limited future picks, using two-way contracts as a tool to evaluate prospects is significant. Between the three of them, Rollins, Green, and Nance are averaging 32.5 points, 9.2 rebounds, and 8.1 assists in 119 combined games this season.
Those are not immaterial contributions. There is no excuse not to take a flyer on someone who could be next the Ryan Rollins or AJ Green when there is no penalty for doing so.