When the Suns signed 25-year old, three-year NBA veteran Chandler Hutchison to a two-way contract this week, Suns fans familiar with two-way contracts shook their heads in confusion.
Why someone so old? Why not a rookie who’s trying to make it in the league? Why Hutchison over keeping last year’s two-way man Ty-Shon Alexander?
Because the rules around the two-way contract have changed. That’s why.
Two-way contracts allow NBA teams to carry two extra players in addition to the 15 on their regular season roster. These players generally bounce back and forth between the NBA and G League, but remain under team control and can’t be poached by rival franchises.