Kofi Inkoom
Jalen Smith has agreed to a three-year, $27 million contract with the Chicago Bulls, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. Smith had recently declined his player option with the Pacers a few weeks ago.
He is set to become the Bulls’ new backup center after Andre Drummond signed with Philadelphia on Sunday night. With no available cap space, Chicago will likely use part of its $12.822 million non-taxpayer mid-level exception to sign Smith.
Smith was drafted 10th overall by Phoenix in 2020 and traded to Indiana at the 2022 trade deadline. He proved to be a valuable backup for the Pacers, contributing as the team reached the Eastern Conference Finals.
This season, he averaged 9.9 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 1.0 assists in 61 games, shooting 59.2% from the field and 42.4% from three-point range.
Smith’s addition is part of the Bulls’ efforts to build a younger, more athletic roster and reduce their dependence on veteran players. They recently traded for Josh Giddey and agreed to a new five-year deal with free agent Patrick Williams over the weekend.