The Bulls have made one thing clear this summer: they’re not pretending to be one move away from anything. Bryson Graham has leaned hard into the rebuild language, talked openly about flexibility, and left the door wide open for roster churn if it helps Chicago collect future value.
That’s why a possible Jordan Hawkins deal is worth watching.
A recent report from The Stein Line said the New Orleans Pelicans have been active in trade talks and are looking to move Hawkins to create more flexibility of their own. Hawkins is set to make $7.0 million this season before reaching restricted free agency. Memphis was the only specific team mentioned as a suitor, but Chicago fits the idea almost too neatly.
The connection is obvious. Graham helped draft Hawkins in New Orleans.
He wasn’t the lead voice in the 2023 NBA Draft, but he was an assistant general manager with enough influence to matter, and that role helped lead to his promotion a year later. That alone doesn’t mean he’d want Hawkins back now, but it does make the fit easy to imagine.
It also helps that Hawkins is the kind of player the Bulls could actually use. Chicago has gotten thinner in the backcourt, and shooting remains a real need.
Hawkins has never fully become the player many expected after his UConn days, but he can still get hot and knock down shots on the move. If the Bulls are going to keep leaning on wings to handle a lot of the offense, an off-ball mover and shooter has a place in that mix.
The numbers explain why New Orleans would even consider moving him. Over three NBA seasons and 174 games, Hawkins has averaged 8.0 points, 2.3 rebounds, and 1.0 assist. The three-point shot was supposed to be his calling card, but he’s hit just 34.8 percent from deep.
From Chicago’s side, the appeal is in the structure of the deal. Hawkins would be another expiring contract for Graham to work with.
If he pops, the Bulls can push into restricted free agency. If he doesn’t, they can simply let him go next summer without tying up long-term money.
The cost might not be steep, either. A package built around a couple of second-round picks feels plausible, especially since the Bulls have plenty of them.
Graham has already shown he’s willing to use those kinds of assets, and around the league this offseason, solid young players have moved for second-rounder packages. The Pelicans may not get much for Hawkins on his own, but that doesn’t mean the deal can’t be expanded.
That’s where things get more interesting. New Orleans could eventually look to move Trey Murphy or Herb Jones, and if that happens, Chicago might be able to help by taking back Hawkins and more unwanted salary. The Bulls still have room to absorb additional money if they can clear out someone like Isaac Okoro or Jalen Smith.
For now, though, the basic idea is enough: Chicago has shown a willingness to take on other teams’ financial headaches if there’s future value attached. This is exactly the kind of situation that fits that approach.
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Philadelphias latest roster swing only sharpens the contrast. The 76ers have shown a willingness to keep reshaping the roster around championship upside, moving on from one major piece to chase another and staying aggressive in free agency rather than settling into the middle. For the Bulls, the lesson is familiar and uncomfortable: if they want to climb back into real contention, they may need to stop acting like a team content with being respectable. [Read more 🡒]