South Korean forward Lee Hyun-jung is continuing his pursuit of an NBA roster spot after signing an Exhibit 10 contract with the Portland Trail Blazers, according to Chosun. Lee’s agency, Epic Sports, announced the agreement on September 7 ahead of the 2026-27 season.
The Exhibit 10 deal is a one-year, non-guaranteed contract at the NBA minimum salary level. It does not assure Lee of a place on Portland’s regular-season roster, but it gives him an opportunity to compete during training camp and preseason.
If Lee does not make the final roster, the contract can also provide a pathway to Portland’s G League affiliate. An Exhibit 10 agreement can allow a player to receive a separate bonus for spending a required period with the G League team, making it a common route for players trying to establish themselves in the NBA.
Lee enters the opportunity after producing the strongest statistical season of his professional career with Nagasaki Velca in Japan’s B.League. In 57 games during the 2025-26 season, he averaged 17.4 points, 5.5 rebounds and 2.7 assists in 29.6 minutes per game.
The 25-year-old shot 56.5% from the field, 47.9% from three-point range and 82.0% from the free-throw line for Nagasaki. His 47.9% three-point shooting represented a major improvement from the 35.8% he posted in 29 games for the Illawarra Hawks in Australia the previous season.
Lee’s professional career also includes a stint with the Santa Cruz Warriors of the NBA G League in 2022-23. He averaged 5.5 points, 4.3 rebounds and 1.7 assists in 12 games while shooting 31.9% from the field and 29.2% from three-point range.
Before turning professional, Lee spent three seasons at Davidson. He improved each season, going from 8.4 points per game as a freshman to 13.5 as a sophomore before averaging 15.8 points and 6.0 rebounds in 34 games during the 2021-22 season.
His final Davidson season was particularly notable as he shot 38.1% from three-point range and 77.7% from the free-throw line. He subsequently continued his career overseas, including a 16-game stint with Osaka Evessa in 2023-24 in which he averaged 15.3 points, 5.5 rebounds and 2.6 assists.
Lee also participated in the 2026 NBA Summer League with the San Antonio Spurs. Across five games, he averaged 9.2 points, 3.6 rebounds and 0.6 assists in 17.1 minutes, shooting 33.3% from three-point range.
Portland reached the playoffs last season after finishing 42-40 and eighth in the Western Conference. The Blazers lost their first-round series to the eventual Western Conference champion San Antonio Spurs, 4-1.
Portland made a major offseason change by acquiring two-time All-Star Ja Morant from Memphis in exchange for Jerami Grant and Kris Murray. Deni Avdija led the Blazers at 24.2 points per game last season, while Shaedon Sharpe averaged 20.8 and Donovan Clingan posted 11.6 rebounds per game.
