Javonte Cooke

Casey Holdahl

Fifteen players just isn't enough in today's NBA.

Whether it's due to the pace and style of play, the number and frequency of games or just plain bad luck, it seems most teams these days find themselves in a situation at some point in the season where they have more minutes to fill than players to fill them.

To deal with that reality, the league created "two-way contracts," which allow teams to sign players who split time between the NBA and the G-League. It's been so successful that a few seasons later, the NBA increased the number of two-way players a team can sign from two to three.

It's hard to imagine where the Trail Blazers would be this season without their two-way players, Caleb Love, Sidy Cissoko and Javonte Cooke. The Blazers have had at least four players out due in nearly every game thus far this season, and typically that number is even higher -- for instance, seven players were unavailable in Portland's win versus the Cavaliers Wednesday night in Cleveland -- so without their two-way players, fielding a team, let alone winning, would have been nearly impossible.

But Portland's two-way players aren't just eating up minutes at the end of blowouts or providing a few extra bodies to practice against. Rather, they're having a real impact on winning.

In Caleb Love, the Trail Blazers have a fearless shooter who has the steadiness and confidence of a veteran despite being a rookie out of Arizona. If not for his 26-point, 7-rebound, 5-assist performance versus the Warriors on November 21, the Trail Blazers don't end their years long losing streak in San Francisco.

"Caleb is one of those guys that has extreme confidence," said Trail Blazers acting head coach Tiago Splitter. "He thinks he's always open, almost too much... Not afraid of any moment."

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Dynamic Depth: Love, Cissoko and Cooke Thrive As Two-Way Players

Sidy Cissoko, now in his second season with the Blazers after signing a two-way contract last year, has the size, skills and athleticism to play multiple positions. That versatility and his dedication to putting in the work has earned Sidy the trust of the coaching staff and his teammates to the point that he's now started eight games this season.

"(Cissoko) can bring the ball (up), he brings energy to the team, he pushes the pace," said Splitter. "Defensively he's aggressive, he's smart and he's taking care of the ball. Just an extra body there for us to play the way we want, he's playing well for us so far... He's doing exactly what we ask him to do."

As for Javonte Cooke, he's helped the Remix get off to a 5-2 start in the G-League Showcase Cup while seeing time in three games this season with the Blazers.

These three players all fit the definition of the saying, "you don’t have to get ready of you stay read ready," and a big reason for that is the advice of a former two-way player on the roster, Duop Reath.

"Everybody during the season always gets an opportunity," said Reath, who had his two-way contract converted to a standard contract during the 2023-24 season. "You've got to be ready to take advantage of that opportunity and be ready at that moment."

The Trail Blazers will get healthier, so it's likely they won't have to rely so heavily on minutes from their two-way players in the near future. But the play of Love, Cissoko and Cooke has show that two-way players do more than help you get by, they help you get wins.

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As Injuries Mount, Portland's Two-Way Players Step Up

The Trail Blazers' two-way players have stepped up in a big way as injuries have thrust Caleb Love, Sidy Cissoko and Javonte Cooke into larger roles

Trail Blazers two-way guard Javonte Cooke takes questions from the media after practice on October 21, 2025

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Javonte Cooke Discusses Earning A Two-Way And G League Experiance

PORTLAND, Ore. (October 20, 2025) – The Portland Trail Blazers have signed guard Javonte Cooke to a two-way contract, General Manager Joe Cronin announced today. Per team policy, terms of the deals were not disclosed.Cooke (6-6, 185), who appeared in three games for Portland during the preseason, is coming off his third G League season in 2024-25—in which he averaged 17.0 points, 5.0 rebounds, 2.9 assists and 1.0 steal in 28.2 minutes per game with the Oklahoma City Blue. Cooke spent the previous two seasons with the Iowa Wolves (2022-24) after playing collegiately at Winston-SalemState and Mars Hill University. Portland’s roster now stands at 18, including three two-way players.

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Trail Blazers Sign Javonte Cooke to Two-Way Contract

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