Brooklyn Nets convert Theo Pinson to 2-way deal, waive 2 players

As expected, the Brooklyn Nets converted Theo Pinson’s contract Thursday to a 2-way deal, while waiving undrafted rookies Jordan McLaughlin and Nuni Omot.

The Brooklyn Nets on Thursday began the process of setting their regular-season roster, converting the contract of swingman Theo Pinson to a two-way contract and waiving point guard Jordan McLaughlin and wing Nuni Omot.

The Nets issued press releases on both the Pinson conversion and the moves on McLaughlin and Omot.

It had been widely reported that Pinson would wind up on a two-way deal when he signed a minimum contract with the Exhibit 10 attachment that allows for the conversion back on Aug. 6.

Pinson was undrafted in June after a four-year career at North Carolina, where last season he became the first player in the history of the program to average at least 10 points, five rebounds and five assists in a single season.

He averaged 10.3 points, 6.5 rebounds and 5.1 assists for the Tar Heels in 2017-18.

Pinson played with the Nets during the Las Vegas Summer League, starting all five games for Brooklyn’s entry and averaging 11.2 points, 4.0 rebounds, 2.2 assists, 1.0 steals and 1.0 blocks while shooting .450/.423/9-for-9.

In the preseason, Pinson has played just once, logging 15 minutes against the New York Knicks on Oct. 3 and scoring four points with two rebounds and a blocked shot, while shooting 2-for-5 and missing his lone 3-point attempt.

Meanwhile, the Nets got their roster down to 18 players with the waiving of McLaughlin and Omot. McLaughlin signed as an undrafted free agent with the Nets on Aug. 20 after he was a four-year starter at USC.

An undersized point guard at 6-foot-1 and 185 pounds, McLaughlin also played with Brooklyn’s Summer League entry, appearing in all five games and starting one while averaging 7.0 points and 4.2 assists in 20 minutes per game, shooting .342/4-for-18/5-for-9.

He made one preseason appearance, also against the Knicks, playing eight minutes and finishing with an assist and two turnovers while missing both of his shot attempts, each from long range.

Omot, a 24-year-old undrafted rookie from Baylor, signed with the Nets on Sept. 24. Born in Kenya to an Ethiopian refugee family, he emigrated to the United States with his family as a child and settled in Minnesota.

Omot, a 6-foot-9, 205-pound wing, has grown more than seven inches in height since his junior year of high school and averaged 9.9 points per game at Baylor last season.

He played with the Golden State Warriors in Summer League play in both Sacramento and Las Vegas, averaging 3.9 points and 3.0 rebounds in 13.0 minutes per game on .440/2-for-6/7-for-10 shooting.

Omot played eight minutes against the Knicks as well, scoring five points on 2-of-2 shooting, including a 3-pointer, with a rebound and two turnovers.

The Nets will retain the G League rights to both players, who could end up with the Long Island Nets when their training camp begins later this month.

Brooklyn has 15 players on guaranteed contracts, with Pinson and Alan Williams on two-way deals. Mitch Creek, the Australian forward, is the last non-guaranteed player on the roster.