Jazz Sign Norvel Pelle To Hardship Contract

SALT LAKE CITY – The Utah Jazz are planning to sign Norvel Pelle to a hardship contract ahead of tonight’s game against the Toronto Raptors.

ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski first reported the signing on Thursday.

“The Jazz are planning to sign center Norvel Pelle to a 10-day hardship deal, sources tell ESPN,” Wojnarowski tweeted. “He’s expected to play vs. Toronto tonight.”

Welcome, @NorvelPelle05!#TakeNote https://t.co/iIjkp7X10s pic.twitter.com/xneKggAypG

— Utah Jazz (@utahjazz) January 7, 2022

The Jazz will be extremely shorthanded when they face the Raptors with both Joe Ingles and Rudy Gobert entering the NBA’s health and safety protocol this week.

Additionally, Donovan Mitchell, Bojan Bogdanovic, and Mike Conley will all miss the game with various ailments and didn’t travel to Toronto.

Players who show a positive COVID test in Canada are forced to remain in the country for two weeks before they clear protocol, thus the Jazz opted to keep several players stateside rather than flying to Toronto.

Hassan Whiteside, Jordan Clarkson, Royce O’Neale, and Jordan Clarkson are listed as questionable for the game.

The @utahjazz are signing guard Danuel House to a 10-day contract. #takenote https://t.co/MfJA1dQpNi

— KSL Sports (@kslsports) January 5, 2022

On Thursday, the Jazz signed Danuel House to a 10-day contract after trading third-year wing Miye Oni on Tuesday.

Originally out of Price High School in Los Angeles, Pelle has appeared in 37 NBA games averaging 2.1 points and 2.5 rebounds.

Standing 6-foot-10, Pelle will add depth to the Jazz frontcourt and has played for the Philadelphia 76ers, New York Knicks, Brooklyn Nets, and Sacramento Kings in his short career.

Against the Raptors, the Jazz are also expected to have Trent Forrest, Jared Butler, Elijah Hughes, Eric Paschall, and Udoka Azubuike in addition to their questionable players.

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