The Milwaukee Bucks faced a great many challenges when their offseason began (far too early) following their loss to the Indiana Pacers in the opening round of the NBA Playoffs.
While Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard are under contract together for at least one more season, Bucks general manager Jon Horst was not left with much financial flexibility to improve the roster.
Due to Milwaukee’s immense salary cap and their position in the NBA’s second apron of the luxury tax, many assumed that key players like Khris Middleton, Brook Lopez, and Bobby Portis could be traded. Of course, that did not happen.
Instead, Horst was able to convince some notable free agents to agree to veteran minimum contracts. These signings helped fill holes that were left by other players that left in free agency.
One of the biggest holes on the Bucks roster was that of backup point guard. Lillard, of course, is the starter at the position. Cameron Payne started the 2023-24 NBA season as Milwaukee’s backup point guard but was traded midseason to the Philadelphia 76ers for Patrick Beverley, who assumed the role going forward.
Beverley was interested in returning to the Bucks for the 2024-25 NBA season, but did not want to play on a veteran minimum contract. Instead, he signed a two-year $4 million deal to play professional basketball in Israel.
TyTy Washington, who appeared in 11 games with the Bucks while spending most of his time with the Wisconsin Herd, had hoped that he would be able to earn the job.
Instead, the Bucks signed Delon Wright in free agency to be their backup point guard. Washington, who was on a two-way contract, was recently released.
On Friday morning, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reported on X (formerly Twitter) that Washington had agreed to a two-way contract with the Phoenix Suns:
As Woj notes, Washington was a first-round pick in the 2022 NBA Draft. He was selected by the Memphis Grizzlies but was traded the very next day to the Minnesota Timberwolves, who quickly turned around and sent him to the Houston Rockets.
He appeared in 31 games for the Rockets during the 2022-23 NBA season, averaging 4.7 points, 1.5 rebounds, and 1.5 assists per game.
After the season, he was included in the massive five-team trade that saw Dillon Brooks sent to Houston. Washington himself ended up with the Atlanta Hawks who, four days later, traded him and two other players to the Oklahoma City Thunder for Patty Mills.
The Hawks waived him in August of last year. Washington signed a two-way deal with the Bucks a couple of weeks later.
In 11 games with Milwaukee last season, Washington averaged 1.3 points, 0.5 rebounds, and 0.5 assists per game. With the Herd, though, he averaged 21.3 points, 4.6 rebounds, and 8.3 assists while shooting 42.6% from three.
