Milwaukee Bucks: Why the Frank Mason signing is a smart one
By Jordan Foote
Looking to round out the roster for the 2019-20 Milwaukee Bucks, Jon Horst made another savvy move by signing former Sacramento Kings guard Frank Mason to a two-way contract.
Although the NBA offseason may be in its slowing down period, that sure hasn’t stopped Jon Horst from rounding out the Milwaukee Bucks‘ roster.
After a flurry of moves to open up this year’s free agency moratorium, Horst and company have done their best to add much-needed depth to the team without having much cash to spend.
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With Eric Bledsoe and George Hill locked in as the primary and secondary point guards on the team, Milwaukee signed former Sacramento Kings floor general Frank Mason to a two-way contract.
Per the terms of his contract, Mason is allowed to spend a maximum of 45 days with the NBA-level team. That makes every potential game he plays with the Bucks even more important.
The former Naismith Award winner was selected by the Kings in the second round of the 2017 NBA Draft.
Averaging 6.8 points, 1.9 rebounds and 2.6 assists per game over his first two years in the league, Mason provided solid depth at the point guard spot for a very young Sacramento team.
Last season, Mason played in 38 games. Seeing his minutes drop from 18.9 to 11.4 per game from 2017-18 to 2018-19, it was a regression of sorts for the former Kansas standout.
His field goal percentage rose to 42 percent after sitting at 37.9 percent the year before but other than that, not too much else improved.
After converting on a solid 36 percent of his 3-point attempts his rookie season, his sophomore campaign saw that number regress all the way to 21.9 percent.
Mason’s college shooting numbers indicate he’ll improve from beyond the arc (career 42 percent 3-point shooter at Kansas), but his size and lack of elite athleticism will likely limit his ceiling.
He stands at 5’11” and weighs 190 pounds, but Mason plays with an immense chip on his shoulder and has been lauded for having a “bulldog” mentality dating back to before the draft.
https://twitter.com/FrankMason0/status/1152744616900345857?s=20
If anything, Mason will serve as an insurance policy in the event of a Bucks player missing time.
With Donte DiVincenzo missing significant time his rookie season due to injury and George Hill now 33 years old, complete health in the backcourt is far from a sure thing over the course of a grueling 82-game season.
Should one of those two, or any other guard have to sit out, Mason can be brought up from the G League temporarily.
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While it remains to be seen how much — if any — time Mason spends with the Milwaukee Bucks this season, he presents a low-risk opportunity for some added depth in the backcourt. It’s been said all offseason about the Bucks, but this is a signing consistent with a smart front office.