At a Crossroads, the Bulls Finally Have a Real Choice at the Trade Deadline
For the better part of a decade, the Chicago Bulls have been stuck in NBA purgatory-never quite bad enough to bottom out, never quite good enough to matter. But something feels different heading into the 2026 trade deadline.
This time, the Bulls aren’t scrambling for a low playoff seed or patching holes with short-term fixes. They’re operating from a place of leverage.
With their draft capital fully restored, cap flexibility on the horizon, and a young core beginning to take shape, Chicago finally has the luxury of choice. And that makes this deadline less about chasing wins and more about choosing a direction-decisively and deliberately.
A Tale of Two Seasons
The Bulls came out of the gate hot, rattling off a 5-0 start-their best opening stretch since the legendary 1996-97 “Last Dance” season. Fueled by a free-flowing offense and the steady hand of Josh Giddey, who’s been flirting with triple-doubles on the regular, Chicago looked-for a moment-like a team ready to turn the corner. Giddey’s averages of 18.6 points, 8.6 rebounds, and 8.8 assists don’t just pop off the stat sheet-they’ve been the engine behind the Bulls’ early-season optimism.
But as quickly as the buzz returned to the United Center, reality came crashing in. A seven-game losing streak in November-Chicago’s longest since 2020-exposed the cracks. Defensive lapses, shaky transition coverage, and inconsistent effort turned that early surge into a sobering reminder: this team still has a long way to go.
Even so, the Bulls have remained competitive. They’re not winning consistently, but they’re not folding either. That resilience came into sharp focus on the night they upset the Celtics just hours after retiring Derrick Rose’s No. 1 jersey-a game that felt like a bridge between the past and whatever this team is trying to become.
Where Things Stand
At 24-26, Chicago sits ninth in the Eastern Conference, clinging to a Play-In spot. The rotation has found a kind of uneasy balance.
Coby White’s shot-making has stabilized the perimeter, Nikola Vucevic continues to provide interior scoring, and Giddey’s orchestration keeps the offense humming. Rookie Matas Buzelis has quietly carved out a role as a defensive anchor, averaging over a block per game and showing the kind of positional versatility that modern NBA defenses crave.
But injuries have tested that fragile chemistry. Hamstring issues have sidelined both Giddey and Tre Jones at points this season, forcing lineup shuffles and exposing the team’s depth. Once again, the Bulls find themselves stuck in the middle-competitive enough to hang around, but not convincing enough to be taken seriously.
And that’s where the front office faces its biggest decision: keep chasing short-term relevance or finally cash in on pieces before their value fades.
A Shift in Philosophy
This time around, Chicago isn’t pretending that the current roster is sacred. Executive VP Arturas Karnisovas has made it clear: only Giddey and Buzelis are off the table.
Everyone else is up for discussion. And the league has taken notice.
Ayo Dosunmu is one of the hottest names on the trade market. He’s shooting a career-best 44.9% from three and drawing serious interest from contenders like the Knicks.
But with free agency looming, Chicago’s asking price remains steep. Vucevic has surfaced in exploratory talks with the Celtics, while Tre Jones has drawn strong interest from the Suns and Timberwolves-two teams in need of backcourt stability.
The Bulls have already dipped a toe into the market, facilitating a three-team deal with Sacramento and Cleveland that brought in Dario Saric and draft assets. That move felt more like an appetizer than the main course. And while whispers of a future blockbuster for a disgruntled star are out there, Chicago’s dream deadline isn’t about splash-it’s about structure.
The Case for Moving Tre Jones
If there’s a move that encapsulates the Bulls’ new mindset, it’s the idea of trading Tre Jones.
Jones is averaging nearly six assists per game in just 24 minutes, with an elite assist-to-turnover ratio that makes him one of the most efficient backup point guards in the league. His three-year, $24 million deal is a bargain in today’s NBA, where backup guards routinely command $12-15 million per year. He’s a cost-controlled asset that playoff teams want yesterday.
But with Giddey entrenched as the lead ball-handler and the Bulls needing to evaluate their young wings, moving Jones could serve multiple purposes. It clears up backcourt congestion, opens up developmental minutes, and maximizes Jones’ value while he’s still seen as a “bargain guard.”
Two Deals That Make Sense
1. Tre Jones to the Timberwolves
Return: Rob Dillingham, Terrence Shannon Jr., two second-round picks
Why it works: Minnesota gets a true point guard to stabilize the bench behind Donte DiVincenzo and Mike Conley. Chicago gets a lottery-ticket return in Dillingham, a 2024 lottery pick who hasn’t found his footing yet but still carries All-Star scoring upside.
Shannon adds wing depth, and the picks give the Bulls more flexibility moving forward. It’s a classic upside swing.
2. Tre Jones to the Suns
Return: Protected 2031 first-round pick and salary filler
Why it works: Phoenix is capped out and desperate for a steady hand to take pressure off Devin Booker and Jalen Green. For the Bulls, a distant first-rounder from an aging contender is a valuable chip. These are the kinds of long-term assets that appreciate over time-and could be flipped later for something bigger.
Clearing the Runway
Trading Jones also opens up about 25 minutes per game-minutes that could go toward developing Buzelis, Dosunmu, and other young wings in expanded roles. If the Bulls are serious about building around their youth, they need to find out now-not after another 40-win season-whether those players can handle increased responsibility.
This is about more than just one trade. It’s about avoiding the NBA’s dreaded middle ground. It’s about resisting the temptation to chase a Play-In spot and instead aligning roster decisions with a long-term vision.
Clarity Over Chaos
For once, the Bulls aren’t boxed in by bad contracts or missing picks. They’ve got flexibility, assets, and a young nucleus that-while still raw-offers a foundation to build on.
The 2026 trade deadline doesn’t have to be a fire sale or a blockbuster swing. It just has to be clear.
Because the real win for Chicago isn’t sneaking into the postseason. It’s finally acting like a franchise that knows where it’s going.