The quiet ones are usually the most surprising, and yes, I’m talking about trade rumors.
For years, the Chicago Bulls were expected to act like sellers, yet they stood pat and only moved players once their value had nearly evaporated. It’s a questionable strategy, one that certainly isn’t earning any Executive of the Year votes, but somehow it’s managed to keep Artūras Karnišovas in his seat.
Now, in a bit of a plot twist, the Bulls are actually rumored to be doing the right thing. Emphasis on rumored. They’ve been “rumored” before, it’s the follow-through where the train always seems to derail.
Chicago Bulls Open to Trading Jalen Smith
According to a report from NBA reporter Evan Sidery, the Bulls are open to moving Jalen Smith during this trade season, not in the offseason, not when his contract is expiring, this season.
The Bulls are open to moving backup center Jalen Smith during trade season.Smith is averaging 9 points and 6.3 rebounds in only 17.7 minutes per game, which would help a lot of contenders.Smith, a 2020 lottery pick, is under contract through 2027 making $9+ million annually. pic.twitter.com/E9bXf9D0yU
— Evan Sidery (@esidery) January 6, 2026Smith has quietly been terrific for Chicago. He’s averaging nine points, six rebounds, and nearly a block per game off the bench, while being able to both stretch the floor and control the paint when needed. In the two full games he’s started this year, he’s posted 12.5 points, 12 rebounds, and three “stocks” per night, and the Bulls won both contests, despite a roster riddled with injuries.
Stix getting it done on both ends of the floor.@thejalen_smith | @CHSN__ pic.twitter.com/SubShneuIP
— Chicago Bulls (@chicagobulls) December 30, 2025His value shows up in other ways, too. He’s missed six games this season, and the Bulls lost every single one. That’s bordering on MVP-level impact (yes, I’m trying to boost his trade value here).
Bulls fall to 0-6 without Jalen Smith and I'm taking recommendations on what emoji to put at the end of that sentence
— Ricky O'Donnell (@SBN_Ricky) January 6, 2026When it comes to his trade value, there’s plenty to like. He’s only 25 years old, a former lottery pick from 2020, and he’s already spent time with Phoenix, Indiana, and now Chicago. Smith isn’t “injury-prone,” but he isn’t always available either. He’s currently sidelined with a concussion he suffered against the Hornets.
LaMelo Ball and Jalen Smith had a head-to-head collision. LaMelo stayed in the game while Jalen headed back to the locker room. pic.twitter.com/vNGaLpHZFm
— NBA on ESPN (@ESPNNBA) January 4, 2026Still, when he’s on the floor, he absolutely lives up to, and arguably exceeds, his very team-friendly contract, which runs through the end of the 2026–27 season.
Who Wants Jalen?
Here’s where the hypotheticals get fun. If the Bulls are trading Jalen, the best way to maximize his value is to find a team desperate for a starting-caliber center. I see three teams, all of them oozing just a bit of desperation, that Chicago should be dialing up about Smith.
Indiana Pacers
via ESPN NBA Trade MachineThe wildest coincidence is that, in this morning’s Bullets, I was already flirting with the idea of the Bulls jumping into the Bennedict Mathurin sweepstakes. The Indiana Pacers are reportedly shopping him to avoid paying a looming extension while adding a reliable big man in return.
Rival teams are monitoring whether the Pacers will shop Bennedict Mathurin during trade season.Due a lucrative extension this summer, Mathurin is averaging a career-high 17.8 points per game.Indiana could end up dealing Mathurin to obtain their long-term answer at center. pic.twitter.com/X2coTAKsJe
— Evan Sidery (@esidery) January 5, 2026Mathurin is just 23, has meaningful NBA Finals experience, and fits Chicago’s timeline almost perfectly. Meanwhile, the Pacers would be getting a player they already know, only now he’s far more polished than during his last stint there. According to ESPN’s Trade Machine, the salaries line up, and the Bulls might only need to tack on a pick to make it happen.
Toronto Raptors
via ESPN NBA Trade MachineThe team up north had been enjoying a strong season — until a lack of big-man depth knocked things off course. Jakob Poeltl, who was given a sizable contract to stabilize the position, has been sidelined with a back injury, leaving the Raptors scrambling. They’ve been forced to rely on 6’9″ Sandro Mamukelashvili, 6’8″ Scottie Barnes, and even called up Mo Bamba from the G League just to plug the gap.
Mo Bamba has been waived by the Raptors.
— Underdog NBA (@UnderdogNBA) January 6, 2026The Raptors are also an expensive roster with very little flexibility. A cheap contract like Jalen Smith’s, combined with his production, should be near the top of their priority list. In return, the Bulls could potentially land 22-year-old Gradey Dick and Ochai Agbaji to make the money work.
Who says no?
Golden State Warriors
via Fanspo Trade MachineThe Golden State Warriors have a player they’ve been increasingly eager to move on from: Jonathan Kuminga. Chicago could send the Warriors Smith and Kevin Huerter, pieces that could help them make a real push for the playoffs while also trimming next season’s Warriors payroll thanks to Huerter’s expiring deal.
The Chicago Bulls are potential suitors for Jonathan Kuminga, per @TheSteinLineMore here: t.co/iy6a5Nvl2J pic.twitter.com/sTUaXxzbCY
— Legion Hoops (@LegionHoops) December 12, 2025In return, the Bulls take on Kuminga and add Al Horford — who hasn’t exactly been winning his battle with Father Time this season. If I were Chicago, I’d probably even ask for a second-round pick to sweeten the pot. The only catch? They’d have to wait until January 15 for the recently signed contract restrictions to expire before making it official.
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