Bulls Add Undrafted Arizona Big Man Awaka on Two-Way Deal

The Bulls have officially signed undrafted Arizona center Tobe Awaka to a two-way contract, per NBA transaction records. Awaka, who went unpicked in last week's draft despite earning Big 12 Sixth Man of the Year honors, lands in Chicago on a non-guaranteed deal that keeps him tethered to the G League affiliate while maintaining roster flexibility. The move represents the franchise's incremental approach to talent acquisition in the weeks following the draft—low-cost, low-commitment additions designed to populate summer league rosters and create competition for final-roster spots.

Awaka arrives in Chicago after two seasons at Arizona, where he carved out a role as a rim-running, defensive-minded big in the Pac-12. His undrafted status reflects the deep talent pool at center this cycle and the broader market skepticism about non-lottery post players without elite athleticism or advanced skill creation. A two-way slot costs the Bulls virtually nothing against the salary cap—roughly $250K of the two-way exception—making this the type of transaction that generates no headline velocity but fills a real roster need: a young body to develop and evaluate during the summer circuit.

For bettors, undrafted signings on two-way deals carry minimal prop relevance in the short term. Awaka is unlikely to see meaningful rotation minutes in regular-season games this season, which eliminates any direct play on his individual scoring or rebounding lines. His presence on a summer league roster could theoretically increase depth in Chicago's frontcourt during those exhibitions, potentially spreading playing time thinner across centers—a consideration for Bulls team-total props if Awaka carves out early momentum—but the effect is marginal and backward-looking (summer league has already concluded for most NBA markets by early fall). The real betting signal here is structural: the Bulls continue building depth on the margins rather than making aggressive veteran moves, a pattern that should inform how you price Chicago's ceiling expectations versus the market's optimism heading into the regular season.