Michael Nyarko
The Portland Trail Blazers have signed free agent forward Henri Drell to a one-year, non-guaranteed contract for training camp, according to Keith Smith of Spotrac.
Drell, a 24-year-old, 6’9″ wing from Estonia, spent several years playing overseas before joining the Windy City Bulls, the Chicago Bulls’ G League affiliate, in January 2022.
His performance with the G League team over parts of three seasons eventually earned him a shot at the NBA level. Last year, Drell signed a two-way contract with the Bulls but only saw 30 minutes of action across four NBA games.
In the G League last season, Drell had his best year yet, averaging 14.5 points, 7.9 rebounds, 2.6 assists, and 1.8 steals in 32.6 minutes per game.
Despite his solid stats, the Bulls chose not to extend him a qualifying offer in June, making him an unrestricted free agent even though he played for the club in the Las Vegas Summer League last month.
The Blazers now have 19 players under contract, including 14 on guaranteed deals. They also have Dalano Banton and Devonte’ Graham on non-guaranteed contracts, and Justin Minaya and Bryce McGowens on two-way deals.
If Drell’s contract includes Exhibit 10 language, it could be converted into a two-way deal before the 2024/25 season, filling the Blazers’ final two-way spot.
However, Drell could face competition from Yongxi Cui, who is also expected to sign an Exhibit 10 deal with the team.