Brandon Boston Jr. joined the New Orleans Pelicans in the offseason on a two-way contract, coming over from three years with the LA Clippers where he spent his first three years in the NBA. After a solid season, the decision-makers down in the Big Easy want to keep the former Kentucky guard around.

The Pelicans have converted Boston’s two-way contract to a standard NBA deal and signed Jalen Crutcher to the vacated two-way slot, only to waive him two days later. The team did not reveal the exact terms of Boston’s deal, however SportTrac estimates Boston will make $2.35 million next season before becoming an unrestricted free agent.

Boston has played in 42 games this season for New Orleans, including 10 starts, and even getting some run at point guard early in the year. He is averaging career highs in every major category with 10.7 points, 3.2 rebounds and 2.2 assists in 23.6 minutes per game.

Unfortunately, Boston has only played in three of the Pelicans’ last 18 games as he is dealing with an ankle sprain and non-Covid illness, but that didn’t stop New Orleans from appreciating what he will bring to the team moving forward.

This makes the second former Kentucky player to have his two-way contract converted to a standard one, as rookie Justin Edwards received a contractual upgrade in February.

Not Great News for a Former Kentucky Wildcat

While Boston received a promotion, one of his former Kentucky teammates is looking for a new home. The New York Knicks announced they have waived Jacob Toppin.

The forward was a on two-way deal and most recently appeared in a game at Madison Square Garden on Feb. 1, logging two minutes in a loss to the Lakers. Toppin has appeared in 25 NBA games over the last two seasons for the Knicks. His best performance was an 11-point night in 17 minutes as a rookie against the Magic.

At the G League level, Toppin has put up some numbers. Over 11 games this year, he’s averaging more than 25 points and 8.2 rebounds per game on 50.8% shooting from the floor.