The Chicago Bulls made a late push at the trade deadline, zeroing in on a young, athletic big man in Yves Missi. But despite their efforts, talks with the New Orleans Pelicans ultimately stalled.
The sticking point? Draft capital.
Chicago came to the table with a handful of second-round picks, hoping that would be enough to pry Missi loose. The Pelicans, however, weren’t budging unless a first-rounder was involved. With both sides holding firm on their valuations, the deal never got across the finish line.
Missi, now in his second NBA season, has been a name that’s come up repeatedly in trade conversations - and for good reason. He’s a 7-footer with real rim protection instincts, a developing offensive game, and the kind of physical tools teams love to bet on.
This season, he’s averaging 5.6 points, 5.6 rebounds, 1.4 blocks, and 1.2 assists per game while shooting 53.8% from the field. He’s appeared in 47 games, starting seven of them, and is logging 19.3 minutes per night - a noticeable dip from his rookie campaign, where he averaged nearly 27 minutes and started 67 games.
That shift in role has raised some eyebrows. It’s not uncommon for young bigs to hit a sophomore wall, especially as teams adjust to their tendencies and coaching staffs experiment with rotations.
But Missi still flashes the kind of upside that makes him a long-term project worth investing in. And that’s exactly what New Orleans seems to be thinking.
According to sources, the Pelicans are keeping Missi in the fold for now, but he’s expected to draw serious interest again closer to the 2026 NBA Draft. The front office reportedly wants to recoup a first-round pick in this year’s draft, and Missi could be the asset that helps them do just that.
As for the Bulls, they’re in a tough spot. Sitting at 24-30 and 11th in the East, they’re on the outside looking in at the Play-In Tournament and trying to shake off a five-game skid.
They’ll get a tough test on Wednesday night when they visit the Boston Celtics - not exactly the ideal opponent when you’re trying to stop the bleeding. That game tips off at 7:30 p.m.
ET, the last one before the league hits pause for All-Star Weekend in Los Angeles.
Meanwhile, the Pelicans - despite their 15-40 record and 14th-place standing in the West - are riding a modest two-game win streak. They’ll host the Miami Heat on Wednesday at 8 p.m. ET, looking to build a little momentum heading into the break.
Bottom line: Chicago’s interest in Missi shows they’re still searching for long-term answers in the frontcourt, but New Orleans isn’t ready to give up on their young center just yet - at least not without a first-round pick on the table. This is a storyline that’s far from over, and come draft season, don’t be surprised if Missi’s name is back in the rumor mill.