Chicago Bulls Sign Jordan Hawkins to Two-Way Contract, Waive Isaiah Stevens

Official announcement from the Chicago Bulls

The Chicago Bulls have officially announced the signing of guard Jordan Hawkins to a two-way contract. In a directly related move, the team decided to waive guard Isaiah Stevens. The addition of Jordan Hawkins and the departure of Isaiah Stevens came in the same announcement, reflecting how the Chicago Bulls front office is restructuring its two-way group. This is not a league-shaking transaction, but it is a technical step showing that the organization is continuously fine-tuning its bench depth.

A two-way contract allows a player to compete for both the NBA team and its affiliated team in the developmental league. Under the current rules of the NBA collective bargaining agreement, a two-way player may be active for a maximum of 50 games in the parent team's regular season. This makes two-way contracts an important tool for teams to test personnel without using a spot on the official roster. For the Chicago Bulls, filling two-way slots with players who have genuine NBA experience is a way to optimize resources.

Jordan Hawkins profile

Jordan Hawkins stands 6-5 and weighs 190 pounds, playing the shooting guard position. He was born and raised in Gaithersburg, Maryland. In his NBA career, Jordan Hawkins has appeared in 174 games, including 20 starts. The first three seasons of his career were spent with the New Orleans Pelicans.

Jordan Hawkins was selected 14th overall in the 2026 NBA Draft by the New Orleans Pelicans. Being taken as a lottery pick shows he was highly regarded from the moment he entered the league. For his career, Jordan Hawkins averages 8.0 points per game, shooting 37.4 percent from the field and 34.8 percent from three-point range. He also averages 2.3 rebounds and 1.0 assists in 18.2 minutes per game.

It is worth emphasizing that these numbers were produced in a context where Jordan Hawkins did not always have a starting role. An average of 18.2 minutes per game shows he frequently entered from the bench, with a primary role of spacing the floor and scoring quickly. A career three-point rate of 34.8 percent at the NBA level is an acceptable figure for a reserve guard, especially considering he often had to attempt difficult shots in limited playing time.

The 2026-25 season marked clear progress

During the 2026-25 campaign, Jordan Hawkins posted single-season career highs in three categories. He averaged 10.8 points per game, totaled 604 points and made 110 three-pointers. He also matched a single-season high in rebounds per game with 2.8.

The scoring improvement shows Jordan Hawkins has adapted better to the pace and defensive demands of the NBA. The figure of 110 made three-pointers in a season is a clear indicator of his role as a constant threat from beyond the arc. In a league that increasingly values long-range shooting, a guard who makes 110 three-pointers in a season always has a place in any rotation.

A notable point is that Jordan Hawkins' scoring growth has been fairly pronounced. Moving from a career average of 8.0 points per game to 10.8 points per game in the 2026-25 season, he has demonstrated development and growing consistency. This is the factor that led the Chicago Bulls to commit to him with a two-way slot.

Explosive nights and the ceiling

For his career, Jordan Hawkins has recorded 15 games with 20-plus points and two games with at least 30 points. His personal best is 34 points against the Dallas Mavericks on January 13, 2026. That game best demonstrated Jordan Hawkins' explosive ability when he was given plenty of touches and space to finish.

The fact that a reserve player can score 34 points in an NBA game is an important signal about potential. Games like that show Jordan Hawkins is not merely a pure three-point threat, but also capable of generating points from a variety of situations. With 15 games of 20-plus points, he proves that high-level performances are not an isolated phenomenon but part of his skill profile.

College career at the University of Connecticut

Before entering the NBA, Jordan Hawkins played two collegiate seasons for the University of Connecticut between 2026 and 2026. In his college career, he averaged 11.8 points, 3.0 rebounds and 1.0 assists in 23.2 minutes per game. He was named to the Big East All-Freshman Team in the 2026-22 season.

In the 2026-23 season, Jordan Hawkins earned several important individual honors. He was named to the All-Big East First Team, the NCAA All-Tournament Team and the NCAA Tournament All-Region Team. In that same year, he won a national championship with the UConn Huskies in 2026. Experience in high-pressure elimination games is something NBA teams value highly, as it demonstrates the ability to withstand psychological pressure in decisive moments.

The University of Connecticut basketball program is known for producing players with solid technical foundations and a strong team-first mentality. The fact that Jordan Hawkins grew in that environment, won a national championship in 2026 and was then selected 14th overall in the 2026 NBA Draft shows he belongs to the group of well-coached players.

Jersey number 15 and his place in the Chicago Bulls rotation

Jordan Hawkins will wear No. 15 for the Chicago Bulls. The fact that a player who was the 14th overall pick of the 2026 NBA Draft is joining a team on a two-way contract is a notable situation. It shows the Chicago Bulls can acquire a player with genuine NBA experience at a flexible cost while creating direct competition for backcourt positions.

In modern basketball, backcourt depth is the factor that determines a team's ability to endure an 82-game season. Having an additional guard who can score and shoot from three gives the Chicago Bulls coaching staff more options when dealing with injuries, suspensions or congested stretches of the schedule.

Three two-way slots

After this transaction, the Chicago Bulls now have three players on two-way contracts: Tobe Awaka, Jordan Hawkins and Jaylin Sellers. Filling all three two-way slots shows the team has completed an important part of building its bench depth. These three players represent three different skill profiles, creating diversity in the fallback options the Chicago Bulls can use during the season.

In terms of roster management, using all three two-way slots is a sign that the Chicago Bulls are maximizing the tools the NBA collective bargaining agreement allows. Teams frequently rotate personnel in this group to find players who can contribute beyond their salary level.

Isaiah Stevens waived

To make room for Jordan Hawkins, the Chicago Bulls waived guard Isaiah Stevens. Waiving a two-way player is a routine administrative move that allows a team to free a position without affecting the structure of the official roster. For Isaiah Stevens, he becomes a free agent and can seek opportunities with another team or in the developmental league.

In the fiercely competitive NBA environment, a two-way player being waived to make room for another player is not unusual. Teams continuously reassess the contribution value of each player in the two-way group, and the final decision is usually based on the immediate needs of the roster.

Strategic significance for the Chicago Bulls

Adding a guard who shoots 34.8 percent from three for his career and has made 110 three-pointers in a single season fits the broader NBA trend, where the three-point margin increasingly decides game outcomes. Jordan Hawkins also provides a fallback option at the shooting guard position, giving the Chicago Bulls coaching staff more flexibility when rotating the lineup.

One notable point is that Jordan Hawkins has proven his scoring ability at the NBA level with 604 points in the 2026-25 season. For a two-way player, that level of production is relatively high and can deliver practical value to the Chicago Bulls in games that require backcourt depth. If he sustains an average of 10.8 points per game, the Chicago Bulls will have a reliable offensive option off the bench.

The broader player market context

Two-way contracts have become a popular tool for NBA teams to develop young players and create internal competition. The Chicago Bulls' continuous rotation of personnel in the two-way group shows the team views it as an important channel for finding value beyond cost. In many cases, players who started on two-way deals later signed standard contracts and became important rotation pieces.

For Jordan Hawkins, moving from the New Orleans Pelicans to the Chicago Bulls is also a chance to restart his career. After three seasons with the New Orleans Pelicans, he has a new opportunity to prove his value in a different environment, with a different role and different expectations.

Looking ahead

In the period ahead, Jordan Hawkins will need to demonstrate he can sustain his scoring efficiency and improve other aspects of his game, particularly defense and playmaking. If he makes good use of the opportunity with the Chicago Bulls, a standard contract could be the next step in Jordan Hawkins' career. For the Chicago Bulls, having a guard who won an NCAA championship and once scored 34 points in an NBA game is a quality fallback option in the backcourt.

The success of this transaction will depend on whether Jordan Hawkins can convert his 174 games of NBA experience into consistent contribution. Metrics such as 110 made three-pointers and 604 points in the 2026-25 season show the potential is real, but consistency across a long season remains a question to be answered on the court.

Conclusion

The Chicago Bulls signed Jordan Hawkins to a two-way contract and waived Isaiah Stevens. Jordan Hawkins brings 174 games of NBA experience, a career average of 8.0 points per game, and a 2026-25 season with 10.8 points per game and 110 made three-pointers. He will wear No. 15, and the Chicago Bulls now have three players on two-way contracts: Tobe Awaka, Jordan Hawkins and Jaylin Sellers.