CHICAGO: The Chicago Bulls said Wednesday they have signed Finnish forward Lauri Markkanen, the seventh overall selection in last month’s NBA draft.
Markkanen was drafted by the Minnesota Timberwolves, but the rights to sign him were acquired by the Bulls in the trade that brought Kris Dunn and Zach LaVine to Chicago in exchange for Jimmy Butler.
The Bulls did not disclose the terms of the contract.
Markkanen played one season at the University of Arizona.
He averaged 15.2 points and 7.2 rebounds while shooting 49.2 percent from the field and 42.3 percent from 3-point range. The Bulls will be able to get a better look at him when they open the defense of their Summer League title in Las Vegas.
“I know there’s work to do, like always,” Markkanen said at an introductory press conference. “I’m the type of person who’s going to be in the gym and I’m going to work on (defense). I know I’m going to get better. I’m pretty confident that it’s going to happen.”
Meanwhile, guard Nick Young, a free agent since declining a player option with the Los Angeles Lakers, is headed to the NBA champion Golden State Warriors.
“Congratulations to @NickswagyPYoung on your new contract with the @warriors! We are so happy for you!” a tweet from Priority Sports, the agency that represents Young, said Wednesday.
Young, 32, was the 16th overall selection in the 2007 NBA draft. He spent the past four seasons with the Lakers, and averaged 13.2 points in 60 games last season.
That included connecting on more than 40 percent of his shots from three-point range. His addition adds depth to the talent-laden Warriors, who have won two of the past three NBA titles.
ESPN reported that Young would make $5.2 million for the one-year deal, slightly less than the $5.7 million he would have received from the Lakers.
Bulls sign first-round pick Markkanen
Bulls sign first-round pick Markkanen
Lola Yamaha ABT look for pace and points under the lights in Jeddah
- After missing points in Miami, team hope for better showing
- Working hard, say drivers Zane Maloney and Lucas di Grassi
JEDDAH: Lola Yamaha ABT are returning to race under the lights of the Jeddah Corniche Circuit, where they are hoping to add to their points tally for season 12 of the Formula E World Championship this Friday and Saturday.
Situated alongside the Red Sea, the 19-turn, 3-km track features a long start and finish straight, technical chicanes and sweeping turns. The Saudi Arabian doubleheader will once again be at night.
And also host the first pit-boost race of season 12 where very driver must complete a 30-second, 600-kilowatt boost in the pitlane, giving an extra 10 percent of energy.
Last time in Miami, the team showed good pace throughout the weekend where they narrowly missed out on points, with Zane Maloney finishing 11th and Lucas di Grassi 13th, but they are hopeful for Jeddah.
“After a generally positive race in Miami, where we were much more competitive, I’m looking forward to taking to the track again in Jeddah,” di Grassi said.
“Racing at night always presents different challenges, with changes in temperature and lighting.
“With not much time between these races, we’ve been putting in the hours in the sim (simulator) to ensure we are as prepared as possible to maximize on the improvements seen last time out.”
Maloney said: “Although we narrowly missed out on points in Miami, it was a positive weekend for the team with good pace that shows we are moving in the right direction.
“Jeddah is a fast, technical circuit, which will test the team in different ways, particularly with the addition of the first pit boost of the season. However, we’ve been working hard in the short race gap and I’m confident we can be in the mix to score points this weekend.”
“We saw positive steps forward with organization and processes behind the scenes in Miami and this showed with good race pace which we are hoping to translate to points here in Jeddah,” said Mark Preston, team principal of Lola Yamaha ABT.
