Chicago Bulls Sign Former Pelicans Guard Jordan Hawkins to Two-Way Deal

The Chicago Bulls were quick to sign former Providence guard Jaylin Sellers and former Arizona forward Tobe Awaka to two-way contracts, inking both to deals shortly after the NBA Draft this summer. Bryson Graham has kept his third and final two-way contract open throughout the offseason, and on Monday afternoon, the Bulls' lead executive found the player he'd been waiting for.

According to ESPN NBA insider Shams Charania, Chicago is signing former first-round pick Jordan Hawkins to a two-way deal ahead of the team's preseason opener on Wednesday.

Hawkins, who played his first three seasons with the New Orleans Pelicans, was traded to the Memphis Grizzlies on Sep. 8 in a deal that included now-Bulls assistant coach Taj Gibson, who retired shortly after. Memphis waived Hawkins on Friday.

At 6-foot-5 and 190 pounds, Hawkins primarily plays on the wing or as an off-ball guard. He was the No. 14 overall pick in the 2023 NBA Draft after playing two seasons at UConn.

Hawkins is 24 years old and has played in 174 NBA games. His most efficient season came as a rookie, when he averaged 7.8 points per game on 38.2% shooting overall and 36.6% on three-pointers. Although his volume increased by three attempts per game in 2024-25 and his scoring rose to 10.8 points per game, Hawkins' accuracy dipped to 37.2% overall and 33.1% from beyond the arc.

Last season, Hawkins' role shrank significantly in New Orleans. In a career-low 51 appearances and 13.6 minutes per game, Hawkins averaged just 5.1 points per game while shooting just 36.6% from the floor and 34.8% from three-point range. After falling out of the Pelicans' rotation, he was dealt to Memphis.

Graham was a part of the Pelicans' front office when they drafted Hawkins, who had a short — but prolific — college career with the Huskies.

At UConn, Hawkins helped lead the Huskies to a National Championship victory in 2023. He was the Most Outstanding Player of his region during the NCAA Tournament and the team's second leading scorer throughout the season. Across 37 starts, Hawkins averaged 16.2 points and 3.8 rebounds per game, also making 40.9% of his shots and 38.8% of his threes.

Hawkins' two-way contract will pay him approximately $679,000 for the upcoming season. As a two-way player, he will be able to be active for a maximum of 50 NBA games, but will likely spend most of his time in the G League with the Windy City Bulls.