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SALT LAKE CITY, UT - NOVEMBER 4: General view of a ball on court during the game between the Portland Trail Blazers and the Utah Jazz at Vivint Smart Home Arena on November 4, 2015 in Salt Lake City, Utah. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Gene Sweeney Jr/Getty Images)
Atemporary stint with the Utah Jazz was in store for Mo Bamba this month. Unfortunately, the stint was cut even shorter than expected for the former lottery pick.
Heading into their battle against the Portland Trail Blazers, the Jazz have announced they cut ties with Bamba. He was in the midst of a second 10-day deal with the team.
Bamba played in just two games during that stretch.
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GettyMo Bamba during his stint with the Orlando Magic.
For Bamba, the situation in Utah was a good opportunity to remind teams what he could bring to the table as the season reaches the final stretch.
Unfortunately, an illness put the Jazz in a position where they had to cut ties with him early in order to get a healthy player on the roster as their injury report loads up.
Bamba joined the team in late February. He picked up a few DNPs, before suiting up for the March 4 game against the Philadelphia 76ers. Bamba checked in for nearly 21 minutes, going 2-3 from the field, scoring four points. He nearly notched a double-double by grabbing eight rebounds.
On the following night, Bamba checked in for 17 minutes against the Washington Wizards. He went 3-6 from the field to score six points. On the boards, Bamba collected 12 rebounds.
Over the next three games, Bamba remained on the bench. The Jazz went 1-2 during that stretch, losing to the New York Knicks and the Milwaukee Bucks. The lone win came against the Golden State Warriors.
A Look Back At Bamba’s Career
Mo Bamba
Getty ImagesMo Bamba is now a free agent again.
The 27-year-old attended Texas for his NCAA run. After seeing the court for 29 games in college, Bamba entered the 2018 NBA Draft. He was the sixth-overall pick for the Orlando Magic.
There were high expectations for Bamba in Orlando. He started his career as a reserve, coming off the bench for all but six games throughout his first three NBA seasons. In 2021-2022, he picked up a full-time starting role. That didn’t last for year five.
After 40 games on the Magic in 2022-2023, Bamba was traded to the Los Angeles Lakers. He saw the court just nine times in LA. That summer, he hit the free agency market for the first time in his career. Bamba signed a deal with the Philadelphia 76ers.
During one season with the Sixers, Bamba averaged 4.4 points and 4.2 rebounds, while seeing the court for 13.0 minutes per game.
In 2024, Bamba signed with the Los Angeles Clippers. After seeing the court for just 28 games in LA, he started bouncing around the league. A trade to the Jazz in 2025 led to him getting waived immediately. Bamba inked a 10-day deal with the New Orleans Pelicans.
Ahead of the 2025-2026 season, Bamba signed with the Jazz for the preseason. Ultimately, he ended up with their G League affiliate. For a moment, it seemed Bamba could finish the year with the Toronto Raptors, but he was cut from his one-year contract after spending less than two weeks with the team.
At this point, Bamba has 366 games under his belt. Throughout his career, the veteran center has averaged 6.7 points and 5.4 rebounds per game.