French point guard Adama Bal had the shortest NBA experience of the season, lasting an hour. Signed by the New York Knicks, he was immediately cut to join the G-League team, a contract move that was as swift as it was surprising.

It's a story that will go down in the annals of NBA trades. Frenchman Adama Bal, 21, officially signed the New York Knicks at 2:16 a.m., only to be cut less than an hour later, at 3:12 a.m. A 56-minute window of time, enough time for his name to be entered into the league's records, but not enough to put on a jersey, participate in a workout, or even pose for a photo.

Far from being a cruel gag, this maneuver sheds light on the use of a very specific contractual mechanism: the "Exhibit 10" contract. This is an ultra-precarious, non-guaranteed, and revocable agreement that NBA franchises use in the preseason to evaluate players or retain their rights.

The main objective is to transfer the player to the G-League (the developmental league) while guaranteeing him an attractive financial bonus (around $85,000) if he stays there for at least 60 days with the affiliated team. For Bal, who has played at the universities of Arizona and Santa Clara, the stage is now called the Westchester Knicks. It is there, ball in hand, that he will have the opportunity to truly prove his level.

The NBA is only a matter of time

Despite this quick entry and immediate exit, the door to the NBA is not closed. On the contrary, Bal's journey is only just beginning in the "labyrinth" of American professional contracts.

If he excels in the G-League, the Knicks could offer him a two-way contract, allowing him to travel between the two leagues, or even a 10-day contract , the ten-day leases often awarded to compensate for injuries.

After 56 minutes of administrative glory, Adama Bal embarks on the demanding – and sometimes absurd – path of contractual opportunities, where every performance counts to transform a precarious status into a lasting place at the highest level.