I wonder if things will be awkward between Jordan Bell and Cash Consideration in the locker room.
According to The Athletic’s Shams Charania, the Chicago Bulls have signed frontcourt player Jordan Bell to a 10-day deal via hardship exemption. Bell appeared in just six NBA games in 2020-21 and has most recently played for the Santa Cruz Warriors of the G-League.
The Chicago Bulls are planning to sign F/C Jordan Bell to a 10-day hardship deal, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium. Bulls drafted Bell in the second round of the 2017 NBA Draft before trading him to Golden State.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) December 29, 2021
For those who may not remember, Bell’s name has already found itself in the Bulls history books. Chicago technically selected the athletic big man out of Oregon with the 38th pick in the 2017 NBA Draft. However, the GarPax regime traded that second-rounder to the Golden State Warriors in exchange for – you guessed it – cash considerations.
The Bulls received $3.5 million in exchange for Bell, who went on to appear in 57 games for the Championship-bound Warriors that season. He then proceeded to play 68 games the following year in Golden State before having short stints for the Timberwolves, Grizzlies, and Wizards over the following two seasons. He found his way back to the Warriors in May of 2021 after the team converted Juan Toscano-Anderson’s two-way contract into a standard deal. Bell filled the two-way slot, but he appeared in only one game.
In nine games with the Warriors’ G-League affiliate this season, Bell has averaged 10.8 points, 12.7 rebounds, 1.6 blocks per game. When he initially entered the league, he was perceived as an elite defensive prospect with three years of college experience. He was named Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Year in 2017, and he helped lead his program to the Final Four in that same year.
Marko Simonovic joined 10-day contract player Ersan Ilyasova in health and safety Protocols this week, opening the door for Bell’s addition. As someone with a fair share of NBA experience under his belt, it wouldn’t be a huge shock to see the Bulls give the big man a try over the next few games. A physical rebounder and defender who can fit into small-ball scenarios, he could offer the Bulls a level of physicality and shot-blocking they don’t necessarily have in the frontcourt.
Isn’t it fun when things come full circle?
Marko Simonovic Joins Ersan Ilyasova as Latest Bulls Players to Enter Health and Safety Protocolshttps://t.co/VXZ381VoMQ
— Bleacher Nation Bulls (@BN_Bulls) December 29, 2021