Jimmy Butler‘s agent, Bernard Lee, took to X to throw shade at the NBA for the steady decline of veterans in the league. Sharing an infographic detailing the decline, Lee slammed the league for offering so many two-way contracts and accused teams of exploiting those contracts to their advantage. He also pointed out that adding a third two-way contract slot is only worsening this problem.
“This is a direct result of two-ways which are by far the worst thing we do. Two-ways should not exist in any way shape or form and have been totally exploited by the teams and not only have we let them do it we added a 3rd one to each team’s roster.”
Lee’s comments are quite damning for the rest of the league. By rule, players who sign two-way contracts to play for an NBA team and their G-League affiliate face a lot of restrictions.
Not only do two-way players make significantly less than average NBA players, but they are also asked to play more basketball games across two leagues. In fact, as of the 2024-25 NBA season, two-way contracts pay half of the minimum rookie contract in the NBA, which pays about $1.1 million. So two-way players make just about $578,577.
In fact, the two-way contract rules also stipulate that two-way players cannot play more than 50 games, and don’t allow players to play in the NBA playoffs. Many NBA teams use two-way contracts to fill up their roster with cheaper options, thus ensuring they don’t struggle with the stringent salary cap rules.
Two-Way Contracts: Big Problem For Veteran Players
One could imagine that Lee is frustrated partly because one of his other clients, T.J. Warren, is struggling to land an NBA contract. Warren, who is 31 years old and a proven scorer, wasn’t able to attract any offers after his 11-game stint with the Minnesota Timberwolves last season.
The role of NBA veterans has diminished significantly, and there are also very few veterans in the NBA who are making big salaries. Lee’s client, Jimmy Butler, is one of the few players above the age of 30 that is making a lot of money.
Butler is 35 years old and in the last year of his contract with the Miami Heat, where he earns about $48 million a year, with a player option that could see his salary increase to $52 million next season.
Butler is reportedly seeking one final payday next season, as he is now much older, and isn’t likely to get several lucrative contracts in the limited time that he has left. Perhaps this is one of the reasons why the lack of NBA veterans in the NBA is also bothering Lee, as his clients are struggling to find opportunities.
Butler’s free agency is one to look out for, as there are questions surrounding his future. While the Miami Heat do want to keep him, there are questions surrounding whether the ever-frugal Pat Riley would be willing to pay big money to a 36-year-old Jimmy Butler.
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