Tuesday was the final day NBA teams could sign players to two-way contracts. The Nets made multiple moves ahead of the deadline, calling up G League guard Tyson Etienne and waiving forward Kendall Brown.
Two-way players can still be converted to standard contracts through April 13, but teams can’t replace them with another two-way signing after Tuesday.
“I just got a FaceTime call from my son before he was boarding a plane and it’s just crazy,” Max Etienne, Tyson’s father, told Taylor Eldridge of the Wichita Eagle. “It immediately took me back to the ball in his crib, him not wanting to watch Sesame Street, wanting to watch NBA instead. All of those emotions came up. You think about all of the hard work he’s put in and I’m just extremely proud of my son because he’s getting to fulfill his dream.”
Etienne, an Englewood, N.J. native, has showcased elite shot-making and relentless offense across 25 games on Long Island, averaging 20 points on 50.6/47.5/79 splits. He was signed and waived by Brooklyn on an Exhibit 10 deal in September.
The 6-2 guard went undrafted out of Wichita State in 2022 and signed with the Atlanta Hawks G League affiliate College Park Skyhawks, where he played in 77 games across three seasons and averaged 11.7 points, 2.2 rebounds and 2.6 assists. He leads the G League in 3-pointers made this season with 84.
Etienne ended his college career tied for third on the Shockers’ all-time 3-pointers made list with 200 and was AAC Player of the Year in 2021. The 25-year-old, in one of his more impressive performances of the season, dropped 32 points on 55% shooting in Long Island’s 122-118 loss to the Texas Legends on March 2. He can be called up to the Nets’ roster for their final 21 games of the regular season.
Brown originally signed a two-way deal with Brooklyn on Feb. 26 but was never called up. In 23 appearances for Long Island this season, he’s averaged 15.7 points, 5.2 rebounds, 2.8 assists and 1.4 steals while shooting 53.9% from the field and 37% from deep.
Etienne fills Brooklyn’s final two-way spot, replacing Brown and joining Tosan Evbuomwan and Reece Beekman. Tyrese Martin recently had his two-way contract converted into a standard NBA deal.
After the Nets signed Etienne and decided not to give Killian Hayes a second 10-day contract, their roster now stands at 18 players with three two-way players. Etienne’s first chance to suit up for Brooklyn will come on Thursday when the Golden State Warriors visit Barclays Center.
Obviously, playing time is not guaranteed.