The Chicago Bulls are in the kind of summer that asks for patience, but it also asks for attention. Bryson Graham has already pushed the franchise into a new direction, and even with the rebuild now out in the open, the roster still includes a few pieces that could matter to other teams.
One of them is Jalen Smith.
That possibility surfaced in a recent Athletic report from Dan Woike, who pointed to the Los Angeles Lakers’ need for more big-man depth. The Lakers went hard after Walker Kessler this offseason, but the loss of LeBron James still left them thinner in size and length. Kevon Looney is their top option behind Kessler, though Woike noted that his value can swing heavily depending on the matchup.
From there, Woike built a list of possible targets based on what he has heard around the league and inside the organization, and Smith was near the top of it. He specifically wrote that Smith has some fans inside the Lakers.
The one issue is salary: Smith is set to make $9.4 million, which could be more than the Lakers want to take on. Even so, it is an expiring deal, and that makes him a more interesting name for a roster that is already expensive.
For Chicago, the appeal is obvious too. Smith is 26, just finished one of the best seasons of his career, and gives the Bulls a useful blend of length, mobility, and effort.
He is not the most powerful or polished big man, but he plays hard and shot 37.3 percent from 3-point range last season. That kind of floor spacing matters for a team trying to build around players like Caleb Wilson, Dailyn Swain, and Matas Buzelis, all of whom are at their best when they can attack downhill.
Still, the Bulls have to think about timing as much as fit. Smith’s role could shrink on this version of the roster, especially with Wilson, Buzelis, and even Noa Essengue all capable of taking minutes at power forward. A lot of Smith’s best work in 2025-26 came there, and that makes him the kind of player Chicago could potentially move if the right offer comes along.
That does not mean the Bulls need to rush. They still need more conventional size behind Nic Claxton, particularly with Zach Collins’ injury history hanging over the rotation. But Graham’s front office is supposed to be alert to every angle, and Smith is exactly the sort of player who could bring back value if the market gets hot.
The challenge is finding a deal that actually makes sense. The Lakers do not have first-round picks to put on the table, and Chicago may not be eager to chase a pile of second-rounders when it already has plenty. Woike also floated Dalton Knecht and Jaden Hardy as possible names, since both could help with backcourt depth and shot creation, but neither feels like an easy one-for-one answer for Smith.
For now, the bigger point is simple: the Bulls need to stay open. Teams will be hunting for fixes over the next couple of weeks, and players such as Smith, Tre Jones, and Isaac Okoro could start attracting real interest. Graham was brought in to spot those moments and use them.
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What gives the situation real intrigue is the possibility of a sign-and-trade, with second-round picks and role players reportedly part of the kind of framework that could get a deal done. Mathurins age, pedigree and playoff experience make him the sort of swing a team like Chicago can at least evaluate seriously, but the Bulls have been cautious enough that any pursuit still feels like it comes with a built-in pause before the finish line. [Read more 🡒]