The Chicago Bulls have been stuck in basketball limbo for way too long. They haven't been good enough to be a legitimate playoff contender, nor bad enough to bottom out and land a franchise-changing talent.
However, this roster isn't that far off. They'll have two first-round picks in 2026, plus the return of Noa Essengue, who will essentially be another rookie. With the right tweaks, this team could trend in the right direction.
That's why, now that they've hired Bryson Graham to pull the strings of the roster, he's got to get the ball rolling with a big trade. He has strong ties to the New Orleans Pelicans, and they might have two guys who could be of great help in Chicago: Herb Jones and Jordan Poole.
The Bulls should trade for Herb Jones and Jordan Poole
Graham, known for his scouting skills, was among those responsible for Herb Jones' discovery. As a former second-round pick, he's emerged as one of the league's prime defensive forwards, and he'd give the Bulls a much-needed boost next to Matas Buzelis.
As for Poole, he'd be a low-risk/high-reward pickup, given that he's on an expiring deal. He can provide three-level shooting and scoring next to Josh Giddey, and it seems like the Pelicans have given up on him, so they will probably be more than willing to get his deal off their books.
Notably, this deal might help the Bulls shed some of their own dead weight. They can probably pull it off by dumping Patrick Williams and Isaac Okoro with Jalen Smith and a top-8 protected 2027 first-round pick.
The Pelicans would get two expiring deals with Smith and Okoro, plus a valuable draft pick to recoup some assets, something they crave after their recent moves. Patrick Williams is still signed for the next three years at $18 million a season, but that's why you're giving up a first-rounder.
Graham will inherit roughly $60 million in cap space, two first-round selections, and will get to choose his next coach. That might be more than enough to put the Bulls back on the map, and adding an elite defender and a potential 20-PPG scorer as his first official move would certainly make this team a more appealing destination for prime free agents.
The Bulls have been one of the most trigger-shy and passive teams in the league for years now, mostly due to the ownership's reluctance to pay tax bills. That's going to have to change if they truly intend to get this team back to the mountaintop.
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