Filling out two-way deals
Moore averaged 16.6 points as a senior
Starting this season, each NBA team can bestow a pair of two-way contracts. These players essentially serve as the 16th and 17th members of the NBA roster, but will spend most of their time in the Gatorade League.
The two-way designation allows them to move between the parent club and its G League affiliate in Oshkosh with ease.
The Milwaukee Bucks’ twoway contracts are already spoken for.
On Saturday, the Bucks tabbed Jalen Moore as their second recipient of a two-way contract. Moore confirmed to the Journal Sentinel that the contract is for two years, the same duration as the two-way contract former Wisconsin standout Bronson Koenig signed Thursday.
Moore, a 6-foot-8, 216-pound versatile forward with a 6foot-11 wingspan out of Utah State, visited Milwaukee on May 16 for his first workout after competing in the Portsmouth Invitational.
He had a good feeling about that workout, a session that in-
cluded Sterling Brown, the 46th overall pick who also signed a contract with the Bucks on Saturday. While he didn’t know what the future held heading into the draft on June 22, he believed his workout with the Bucks was his best.
Shortly after going undrafted, Moore began to hear that the Bucks were “super interested” and that a two-way contract could be in the offing. After months of uncertainty about his future, Moore was relieved to officially get some clarity on Saturday.
“It’s a good feeling to know because the process was so long,” Moore said. “You go work out, you travel all over the place and work out for a bunch of different teams, but you don’t know what’s going to happen.
“When I found out the Bucks were going to do this, it’s really cool because now I know what the future holds.”
As a senior, he put up 16.6 points, 5.5 rebounds and 2.7 assists per game, while shooting a career-best 42.5% from three-point distance. He scored in double figures in 30 of the Aggies’ 32 games, including recording a careerhigh 27 points against Nevada on March 9.
With the two-way contract, Moore will spend most of his time with the Bucks’ G League affiliate, the Wisconsin Herd. He can spend up to 45 days on the NBA roster, not including any time prior to the Herd’s training camp or after the conclusion of its season.
Moore had a mostly quiet debut for the Bucks’ summer-league squad on Friday, finishing with six points and one rebound in 16 minutes. He did, however, hit 2 of 3 three-point attempts, while the rest of the Bucks went a combined 2 of 23 on threepoint shots.
Staying at home: By signing their two-way contracts, Koenig and Moore became and first and second members of the Herd, which will tip off its inaugural season in November.
For Koenig, that means continuing his basketball career in the same state he’s spent his whole life. Koenig, a native of La Crosse, played at Aquinas High School, for the Wisconsin Swing in AAU, spent four successful seasons with the Badgers and will now continue his eastward push across the state when he suits up for the Herd — with the potential to be called up to join the Bucks — this fall.
“It’s been pretty crazy, honestly. Pretty surreal feeling,” Koenig said. “Being a Bucks fan my whole life it’s been great. Obviously very fortunate to have that twoway deal.
“I’ll be able to play in front of a lot of the same fans in Oshkosh, and I heard they’re very excited so that’s pretty exciting.”
Koenig, the all-time record-holder at UW with 270 three-pointers, struggled in his summer league debut on Friday, going 1 of 6 from the field, including 0 of 5 on threes.
“It’s just a total adjustment in a lot of different aspects — not starting and coming in cold, playing in the NBA, really, it’s definitely an adjustment,” he said.