The Chicago Bulls need a certain kind of player to optimize their fast-paced offensive system, especially the ball-handlers initiating the offense. They need to play fast, make quick decisions, fire off pinpoint passes, and be willing to move past the "smart" play to make the bold one.
That is why Bulls fans loved watching Yuki Kawamura play. His spunk as a passer and shooter leapt off the screen, and he was a fan-favorite all throughout last year.
And unfortunately, he will now make a whole new fan base fall in love, as the Bulls decided not to bring him back for this season. Kawamura will now play for the Indiana Pacers at Las Vegas Summer League.
Yuki Kawamura is beating the odds
Yuki Kawamura burst onto the NBA scene in 2023, when the Japanese star became draft-eligible after his time at Tokai University in Tokyo and playing for the Yokohama B-Corsairs.
Despite his instant success -- he won MVP in his first season as well as Rookie of the Year -- Kawamura did not get drafted in 2023. The primary reason was his size; Kawamura is only 5'7", hardly the recipe for NBA success.
Yet Kawamura's creativity and fearlessness as a passer and scorer is undeniable, and the Memphis Grizzlies saw enough to bring him into training camp. He further impressed them enough to earn a two-way contract.
Kawamura joined the Bulls in 2025
After one intriguing year with Memphis, Kawamura joined the Chicago Bulls last year. He razzle-dazzled the competition in the G League with the Windy City Bulls, and they elevated him to a two-way contract partway through the season. He appeared in 18 games for Chicago, putting together a fun highlight reel that cut out all of his defensive plays where his effort and tenacity were not enough to make up for his diminutive size.
In those 18 games, Kawamura averaged 11.6 minutes per game, largely playing in garbage time. He shot only 29.7 percent from 3, although some of that should be qualified by the reality that he will jack from 30 feet out without fear. He pitched in 2.6 assists (8 per-36 minutes) and snagged a steal every other game.
The Bulls had the opportunity to bring Kawamura back on another two-way deal, but they decided not to, making him a free agent. The pathway for most players on two-way deals who are waived is to start at the bottom once more and earn their way up.
The Pacers scooped Kawamura up
Now the Pacers will take their opportunity to evaluate Kawamura up close. His size is obviously a massive hurdle, perhaps an insurmountable one. But perhaps there is enough there to find his way onto a roster as the full-time third point guard.
If so, Indiana will try to unlock it in Summer League. Kawamura's flair as a passer is infectious, and he is entirely unafraid of anything, including towering NBA defenders. He has a deep bag of tricks to score around NBA length, either to get his jumpshot off or to finish through the trees at the rim. It doesn't always work, but it certainly works more often than it should.
The Pacers are still figuring out the last few spots of their roster and two-way slots, and Kawamura hopes to earn his way onto a two-way slot and take another shot at earning a full NBA roster spot. It's an uphill climb -- perhaps a sheer cliff -- but it's not completely hopeless.
A player with his pizzazz and ability to read the court deserves a long chance to earn a spot. Chicago decided the limitations outweighed the upside. The Pacers are hoping the Bulls gave up too quickly.
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