Hyunjoong Lee signs Exigbit 10 contract with NBA Portland... Continue the challenge
Quick Look
- Lee Hyun-joong, the ace of the Korean men's basketball team, signed a one-year, non-guaranteed contract with the National Basketball Association (NBA) Portland Trail Blazers, Exigbit 10, with the minimum salary level.
- With this contract, he has the opportunity to participate in Portland's training camp and prove his skills, and even if he fails to make the final roster, he can receive bonuses by playing for the G League team.
- Lee Hyun-joong said he plans to focus on national team training and games next season.
AI-generated summary
Why It Matters
Lee Hyun-joong has been working as an ace in Korean men's basketball and has been aiming to advance to the NBA. He previously played for Nagasaki Belka in the Japanese B League, and has also discussed with several clubs, including the Boston Celtics, this offseason.
(Seoul = Yonhap News) Reporter Ahn Hong-seok = Korean men's basketball 'ace' Lee Hyun-joong continues his challenge to advance to the National Basketball Association (NBA) by accepting the lowest salary contract.
Lee Hyun-joong's agency, Epic Sports, announced on the 7th that he signed an 'Exhibit 10' contract with the NBA Portland Trail Blazers ahead of the 2026-2027 season.
Exam 10 is a one-year, non-guaranteed contract with the lowest annual salary.
Although you are not promised a spot on the official roster, you can be invited to the club's training camp and get a chance to prove your skills.
Even if you don't make the final roster, you can receive a separate bonus if you play a certain period of time in the club's G League (NBA 2nd division league) team, so this is one of the paths commonly taken by players knocking on the NBA door.
With this contract, Lee Hyun-joong will participate in Portland's training camp, and if he is not included in the final roster, he can continue to seek roster entry from Portland's G League team Lip City Remix.
If he performs impressively in Lip City, he could be converted to a 'two-way contract' that allows him to play back and forth to Portland.
Lee Hyun-joong discussed his future with other clubs this off-season, including the Boston Celtics of the NBA and Nagasaki Belka of the Japanese B League, where he played last season, but his final choice was Portland.
Kim Byeong-wook, CEO of Epic Sports, said, "Although it did not lead to the final two-way contract we were aiming for, I am confident that this 10-year Exigbit contract will be an important starting point for Lee Hyun-joong to open a bigger career on the NBA stage."
Lee Hyun-joong, who has confirmed his future next season, plans to focus on national team training and games ahead of the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games.
Lee Hyun-joong said, “I will give my all on the court to help the national team achieve the best results in this tournament.”
What to Watch
AI outlook — possibilities, not facts
There is a possibility that Lee Hyun-joong could be converted to a two-way contract due to his impressive performance at Portland training camp.
Possible · Within weeks
Lee Hyun-joong will receive a separate bonus after completing the designated period in the G League.
Likely · Within months
Open Questions
- What kind of results will Lee Hyun-joong achieve in training camp?
- There is a possibility that his performance in the G League could lead to a two-way contract.
- The impact of performance on the national team on trying again in the NBA
