Trail Blazers Converting Skylar Mays to NBA Contract, Signing Jamaree Bouyea to Two-Way
With their backcourt decimated by injuries, the Blazers are adding a former Heat and Wizards guard.
With their backcourt decimated by injuries, the Trail Blazers are making a pair of moves: converting two-way guard Skylar Mays to a standard NBA contract and backfilling his two-way spot with second-year guard Jamaree Bouyea, a league source confirms.
ESPN first reported that Mays would be converted, and The Athletic first reported the agreement with Bouyea.
The Blazers have been without Anfernee Simons since opening night, when he suffered a torn UCL in his right thumb. He underwent surgery on Oct. 31 and is expected to be out until mid-December.
The day after Simons’ surgery, No. 3 overall pick Scoot Henderson, who started the first five games at point guard, suffered a sprained left ankle in Detroit and has been sidelined since then. Reports have indicated that Henderson could miss two more weeks; an official update from the team is expected in the near future.
If that wasn’t enough, Malcolm Brogdon, who had been starting at point guard since Henderson went down, left Wednesday’s overtime loss in Sacramento with a left hamstring strain, leaving Mays and Shaedon Sharpe as the team’s only healthy guards.
Brogdon’s injury is not believed to be serious, but his status for Sunday’s game against the Lakers in Los Angeles is unknown. Hamstring injuries can be difficult to predict, and Brogdon has a long injury history the team may want to be cautious with.
The Blazers had an open roster spot, so converting Mays doesn’t require them to waive anybody. The move also gives them added flexibility both on the court and in future roster decisions. Two-way contract players are limited to 50 games with the NBA club; Mays has already appeared in seven. Converting him to a regular NBA contract removes that limit and now makes him a regular part of the rotation.
Mays has been solid in the early part of the season. He played 37 minutes in Sacramento after Brogdon went down, finishing with 18 points and 11 assists.
Bouyea, who played in college for five seasons at the University of San Francisco, went undrafted in 2022 and appeared in four games last season with the Miami Heat and one with the Washington Wizards. He spent most of last season with the Heat’s G League affiliate, the Sioux Falls Skyforce, and was named to both the G League’s All-Rookie team and the All-G League second team. The Heat signed him to a two-way contract in July and he played with them at Summer League, but was waived before training camp started and rejoined the Skyforce.
As an older college player, the Blazers are hoping Bouyea will be able to step in right away and play some backup minutes while they wait for Brogdon, Henderson and Simons to get healthy.
This makes me wonder if the Scoot and Brogdon injuries are worse than thought.