[Official] Lee Hyun-joong signs Exhibit 10 contract with Portland! Continues pursuit of NBA challenge "Now fully focused on AG"

*This content was translated by AI.

'Ace of the South Korea men's national basketball team' Lee Hyun-joong (26) continues his challenge to reach the NBA stage.

Epic Sports, which manages Lee Hyun-joong, officially announced on the morning of the 7th that "Lee Hyun-joong has signed an 'Exhibit 10' contract with the Portland Trail Blazers ahead of the 2026-27 season."

The Exhibit 10 is a one-year non-guaranteed contract at minimum salary level, allowing players to compete for a spot on the regular roster by participating in preseason training camps. Depending on performance during camp, players may not only join the regular roster but also transition to a Two-way contract.

Even if they do not make the regular roster, players can join Rip City Remix, Portland's G League affiliate team, maintain their game sharpness, and seek opportunities. They will also receive a separate bonus after a certain period of activity.

According to Epic Sports, during this off-season, Lee Hyun-joong received love calls from multiple domestic and foreign clubs, including Boston Celtics FC and Nagasaki Velca in Japan's B.League. After careful consideration among several options, Lee Hyun-joong ultimately chose Portland, agreeing with the team's proposed player utilization plan and long-term growth vision.

Epic Sports Kim Byeong-uk (CEO) stated, "Although we did not ultimately achieve our goal of a Two-way contract, we are confident that this Exhibit 10 contract will serve as an important starting point for Lee Hyun-joong to build a larger career on the NBA stage."

Having completed the contract, Lee Hyun-joong will immediately focus on the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games national team schedule. To concentrate on training and competition with the national team, he plans to politely decline any individual interviews regarding his future until after the tournament concludes.

Lee Hyun-joong expressed his determination: "I will pour everything onto the court so that the national team can achieve the best possible results at this Asian Games." After completing all Asian Games schedules, he will join Portland's official training camp and fully engage in the competition to secure a spot on the NBA roster.

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*This content was translated by AI.