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Alex Poythress may be on the verge of landing an NBA contract.
Brad Turner of LA Times reports the Los Angeles Clippers are considering signing Poythress to a two-way contract.
Clippers considering signing 6-7 forward Alex Poythress to a 2 way contract, per source. He played for 76ers in summer league in Las Vegas.
— Brad Turner (@BA_Turner) July 21, 2017
While not a full NBA contract, this would ensure Poythress spends next season with an NBA team. The NBA is implementing two-way contracts this year in order to add two extra roster spots, increasing the limit to 17.
Those final two spots can be dedicated to two-way contract players, who can spend up to 45 days with the NBA team that signs him, although no time is guaranteed. The rest of the player’s contract must be spent in the G-League, either for the team’s affiliate or another’s if the team he signs with doesn’t have a G-League affiliate yet.
A two-way player who spends the maximum amount of time in the NBA would make $279,000. That’d be a nice payday for Poythress, who has certainly earned a chance to be on an NBA roster. This would ensure he gets that while also getting to get a lot of playing time in the G-League.
Elsewhere, another Kentucky Wildcats alum is looking to make his presence felt in the Big Easy. On Monday, the New Orleans Pelicans and Darius Miller agreed a two-year contract. It’s worth up to $4.3 million, though the Pelicans will have a team option for the second-year of the deal with Miller, so it’s no fully guaranteed, according to Scott Kushner of The Advocate:
League source says Darius Miller's deal with #Pelicans is for $4.3 million over 2 years, with a team option in the second year.
— Scott Kushner (@ScottDKushner) July 24, 2017
A source said Darius Miller chose the #Pelicans over offers from the Magic & Rockets b/c of an opportunity to contribute to winning.
— Scott Kushner (@ScottDKushner) July 24, 2017
The #Pelicans believe Miller is a great shooter & passer w/ strong bball IQ. Expect to see him as a wing/mobile PF off #Pelicans bench.
— Scott Kushner (@ScottDKushner) July 24, 2017
Coming out of college, Miller was drafted in the second round of the 2012 NBA Draft by the Pelicans, where he would spend much of the next three years before being waived.
Since then, Miller has spent time in Germany playing professional ball, but the desire to play in the NBA never left him. He’ll now get to play with fellow Wildcats DeMarcus Cousins, Anthony Davis and Rajon Rondo. There’s also the potential for James Young to be invited to training camp after playing for the Pelicans in the NBA Summer League.