Jordan Hawkins Gets Fresh NBA Chance as Bulls Sign Former Lottery Pick to Two-Way Deal

Jordan Hawkins has a new NBA lifeline. The Chicago Bulls announced Tuesday that they signed the 24-year-old guard to a two-way contract, giving the former No. 14 overall pick a fresh opportunity after a turbulent offseason. Chicago waived guard Isaiah Stevens in the corresponding move. Hawkins spent his first three NBA seasons with New Orleans before being moved to Memphis during the offseason and later parting ways with the Grizzlies.

The appeal for Chicago is easy to understand. Hawkins has already shown legitimate NBA shooting upside, including a 2024-25 season in which he averaged 10.8 points and made 110 three-pointers. Across 174 career games, he owns averages of 8.0 points and 2.3 rebounds while shooting 34.8% from beyond the arc. He also brings championship pedigree from UConn’s 2023 NCAA title team.

The two-way deal is a reset rather than a guarantee, but it may be exactly what Hawkins needs. Chicago can evaluate him in both NBA and G League minutes while giving a former lottery pick time to rebuild his value without demanding an immediate rotation role. For Hawkins, the path back to a standard NBA contract is straightforward: rediscover the movement shooting and scoring confidence that made him a first-round pick.