Nets sign Jalen Wilson to two-way contract, opening spot on Brooklyn roster

The Nets signed Jalen Wilson, taken at No. 51 in last month, to a two-way contract Wednesday which will open up a roster spot in Brooklyn as Sean Marks & co. remake the NBA club’s roster.

Under terms of a two-way contract, Wilson will be paid a little more than $500,000 which will not count against Brooklyn’s salary cap. He will be permitted to be active for up to 50 games before the Nets would have to decide whether to convert him to a standard NBA deal. The new CBA permits teams to sign three two-way deals, starting this year. RaiQuan Gray was signed to a two-year, two-way deal the next to last day of the 2022-23 season.

It has been common practice for the last several years for the Nets to sign second rounders to two-ways. In addition to Gray who was taken at No. 59 in the 2021, the Nets signed Kessler Edwards, taken at No. 44 in that same draft, to a two-way before he was converted to a standard deal in 2022.

Brooklyn’s roster remains in flux. Other than Wilson’s signing, the Nets two first round picks have yet to sign. Same with the signings of free agents Dennis Smith Jr. and Lonnie Walker IV. The trades of Joe Harris and Patty Mills can’t be finalized until Thursday. Moreover, the Nets have to decide by Thursday on Edmond Sumner’s team option and by Monday on Royce O’Neale’s partially guaranteed deal. The Nets have already declined to extend a qualifying offer to David Duke Jr., opening his roster spot. Cam Johnson’s new contract, four years and $108 million with unlikely incentives, is not official yet either.

The 22-year-old Wilson was named a consensus All-America First Team selection and earned Big 12 Player of the Year honors following a redshirt junior season in which he averaged 20.1 points, 8.3 rebounds and 2.2 assists in 35.4 minutes per contest across 36 games (all starts). As a redshirt sophomore, the Denton, Texas, native helped lead the Jayhawks to a national championship while also securing All-Big 12 Third Team honors.

• Nets ink 2023 draft pick Jalen Wilson to two-way contract - Jared Schwartz - New York Post