Mad Ants forward Ben Moore signed a two-way contract with the Pacers on Friday. The deal is for the rest of this season, league sources told VigilantSports.com.
This is the first season that two-way contracts have existed with the goal to improve the G League, salaries, and give players more opportunities. Players may sign for one or two years but may not include options. They are paid a prorated salary and it does not count against the Pacers’ tax level.
A two-way was created when the Pacers converted Alex Poythress’ contract into an NBA deal, worth just under $800,000, on Dec. 28.
By signing Moore to a two-way contract, it also prevents another NBA club from calling him up like they can any other player in the G League system.
Moore, a 6-foot-8 forward out of Southern Methodist University, is 22 years old and went undrafted in the 2017 NBA Draft. He was with the Pacers for Summer League in Orlando, averaging 3.8 points and 3.0 rebounds per game. He then signed a camp deal with the team in August and was later waived days before opening night.
Since that time, Moore has been in Fort Wayne with coach Steve Gansey. He averaged 10.9 points and 3.3 rebounds through the first 24 games off the bench. Then, after agreeing to a new deal, he started in Saturday’s game. He finished 14 points and seven rebounds in 24 minutes.
Fellow rookie Edmond Sumner is signed to the Pacers’ other two-way contract. He has been rehabbing from ACL surgery and has not yet played this season.
Kevin Pritchard, in his first season as Pacers President, makes Moore the first player called up from the G League in franchise history.
“Ben has had a terrific summer,” Pritchard said of Moore on media day in late September. “He’s really impressed everybody in this gym. We think he could be an NBA player. An NBA defender first, and then if he can improve his shooting, he could be a Bruce Bowen type.