Alex Poythress signs two-way NBA contract with Indiana Pacers

The Indiana Pacers announced that they have signed former University of Kentucky star Alex Poythress to a two-way contract.

Poythress spent most of last season playing for the Fort Wayne Mad Ants in the NBA’s G League, where he averaged 18.5 points and 7.1 rebounds in 46 games.

The 6-foot-7, 238-pound former Kentucky player joined the 76ers on April 1. He averaged 10.7 points and 4.8 rebounds in six games with Philadelphia.

So what does signing a two-way contract mean for Poythress?

The NBA added two roster spots, going from 15 to 17, to accommodate two two-way players per team this season.

“Players under a two-way contract aren’t counted against the salary cap, and will be restricted free agents after their deal expires,” HoopsHype.com explains. A two-way contract can only be up to two years, and no bonuses, extra compensation or options for future years can be included. The NBA season is split into 170 days, and a player on a two-way deal can only spend 45 days with their NBA team receiving the minimum salary, which is set at $815,615 for the 2017-18 season. The rest of the 125 days, the player will be paid at the rate of their G League salary capped at $75,000. In a best-case scenario, the salary math works out to roughly around $280,000.

“From the player’s side, the advantageous part is that two-way contracts introduce up to 60 new jobs in the NBA with salaries that are slightly more competitive compared to what could be received overseas.”

This story was originally published August 22, 2017 at 4:14 PM with the headline "Alex Poythress signs two-way NBA contract with Indiana Pacers."