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On Tuesday, reports began to circulate that former Marquette Golden Eagles guard Dwight Buycks had signed a contract with the Detroit Pistons. Michael Scotto of Basketball Insiders had the story first, and that was supplemented by Chris Reichert of Two Ways & 10 Days reporting that it would be a two-way contract.
Detroit Pistons have reached an agreement with free agent guard Dwight Buycks, a league source told @BBallInsiders.
— Michael Scotto (@MikeAScotto) August 29, 2017
Dwight Buycks deal with the Detroit Pistons will be on a two-way contract, per league sources
— Chris Reichert (@Chris_Reichert) August 30, 2017
Two-way contracts are new to the NBA this season. They allow a team to sign a player, but designate them for assignment in the G-League. There, they earn a prorated portion of a $75,000 salary, but for 45 days out of the season, the player can be on the team’s NBA roster and earn a pro-rated portion of the NBA rookie minimum salary for each day that they’re with the NBA team.
There is, however, a question regarding Buycks and the G-League. According to a report from Dan Feldman of NBC Sports, Buycks’ G-League rights are already held by a team that’s not the Grand Rapids Drive, the Pistons’ affiliate team. Presumably the team in question is the Oklahoma City Blue, as Buycks played for them in 2015-16. I would have to figure that this has been and/or will be hammered out by the Pistons’ front office on some level, as there’s no point in putting a guy on a two-way contract when he can’t play for your own G-League team.
Buycks has appeared in 61 G-League games in his pro career, averaging 16.7 points, 3.8 rebounds, and 3.9 assists. He hasn’t appeared in more than 20 games in a season since 2011-12, though, when he played in 28 games for the Tulsa 66ers, which is the team now known as the OKC Blue. He’s played in 20 NBA games, although none at all since the 2014-15 season.
Hailing from Milwaukee, Buycks was a part of two NCAA tournament teams at Marquette, including a Sweet 16 trip in 2012. Given his production in college of 7.7 points, 3.0 rebounds, and 2.8 assists, it’s impressive to see him consistently have a shot at making an NBA roster. Buycks has also been a crucial contributor to both of Marquette’s entries into The Basketball Tournament in the past two summers.
The Pistons, who also have former Marquette forward Henry Ellenson on a rookie contract, begin exhibition play on Wednesday, October 4 when they host the Charlotte Hornets. Be sure to check out Detroit Bad Boys, our SB Nation sister site on all things Pistons, for more on Buycks and his roster status.