The Chicago Bulls may have finally turned a corner - and not a moment too soon.
After years of questionable roster construction and head-scratching trades, the Bulls made a move that actually aligned with the direction they should be heading in: rebuilding. By taking on Dario Šarić’s $5.2 million salary in a three-team deal that also involved the Cavaliers and Kings, Chicago picked up two second-round draft picks. That’s the kind of forward-thinking asset accumulation rebuilding teams need to be doing - and frankly, the kind of move Bulls fans have been waiting on for years.
For context, this is the same front office that sent a 2025 first-round pick to San Antonio to acquire DeMar DeRozan back in 2021. Fast forward four years, and Chicago had to maneuver its way into the De’Aaron Fox trade just to retrieve that same pick.
That’s not just inefficient roster management - that’s a front office trying to walk back a move that never made much long-term sense. It’s been a pattern: short-term thinking, chasing the Play-In Tournament, and hoping to sell a few extra tickets instead of building something sustainable.
But this latest trade might be a sign that the Bulls are finally embracing the reality of where they are. Taking on salary to acquire draft capital is a classic rebuilding tactic - and a smart one.
They’re not going to land a star overnight, but stacking up picks gives them a shot to do it the right way. That’s how you build a foundation.
San Antonio, meanwhile, has been on the other end of the ledger in recent years when dealing with Chicago. The Spurs have come out ahead in three straight trades with the Bulls, including that DeRozan deal.
They’ve been one of the league’s savviest organizations for decades, and even with Gregg Popovich now retired, they’re still operating with the same blueprint: patience, discipline, and calculated risk-taking. That’s how you land a generational talent like Victor Wembanyama and surround him with a roster that can grow into a contender.
It’s no surprise, then, that Spurs fans perked up when they heard Chicago might have interest in Jeremy Sochan. San Antonio is reportedly open to moving Sochan before the February 5 trade deadline, and given their recent track record against the Bulls, there’s a level of confidence in the fanbase that the Spurs could once again come out on top. But this time, there’s a wrinkle - Chicago might not be such an easy mark anymore.
For years, Bulls executive Artūras Karnišovas has been focused on staying competitive, even when the roster clearly wasn’t built for a deep playoff run. One playoff appearance in eight years is all the proof you need.
The front office has often prioritized short-term gains over long-term growth, and it’s cost them dearly. But taking on salary to gain picks?
That’s a different approach. That’s a move made with tomorrow in mind, not just tonight’s box office.
Of course, one smart trade doesn’t mean the Bulls are suddenly a model franchise. But it does suggest they’re starting to understand the path forward.
There’s no franchise cornerstone in place right now, and until that changes, the focus should be on acquiring as many draft picks and young assets as possible. That’s how San Antonio built the foundation for its current resurgence.
That’s how Oklahoma City reloaded. That’s how you get out of the NBA’s middle class and into real contention.
The Spurs, for their part, are still hunting for the right pieces to put around Wembanyama. They’re not done building, and they know it.
But they’ve earned the benefit of the doubt. They’ve shown they know how to execute a plan - and how to take advantage of teams that don’t.
So now the question becomes: is this a one-off for Chicago, or the start of something new? Bulls fans have been burned before, but they’re also desperate for hope. If this is the beginning of a real rebuild - not just a retool - then it’s a step in the right direction.
And if the Spurs come calling again before the deadline, we’ll find out just how much the Bulls have really learned.