1 Trade target at every position the Chicago Bulls should pursue

With NBA looking more wide open than ever, the upcoming February 9 trade deadline looks to be a busy one. Up-and-comers like the New Orleans Pelicans and Sacramento Kings have stunned the opposition, while battle-tested teams like the Boston Celtics and Denver Nuggets are jostling for position at the top of the mountain. Since so many teams stand to benefit by dealing at the deadline, now is the perfect opportunity for the Chicago Bulls to jump into the fray.

This is especially true given the fact there has been no major movement thus far, with the Rui Hachimura trade being the only notable news over the last few weeks. This means teams are anxiously waiting to feel the market out following the explosive Rudy Gobert trade that disrupted negotiations over the summer.

With no clear championship frontrunner this year, there will undoubtedly be other teams keen on making a move and potentially even trading with the Bulls. Now is the time for Arturas Karnisovas and Marc Eversley to prove their managerial merit and get this team moving in the right direction once again.

Here’s a look at one player (and a few honorable mentions) at each position that I believe the Bulls would be wise to strongly pursue ahead of this year’s trade deadline.

Standing at 23-26, the Chicago Bulls could use improvements all across the board during the trade deadline.

Point Guard: Bones Hyland, Denver Nuggets

Much like current Bulls’ guard Ayo Dosunmu, Hyland entered the league with a chip on his shoulder as a 21-year-old rookie. He has already excelled as a score-first threat off the bench and still has much room to grow in a larger role. He has the ability to create his own shot, hit clutch three-pointers, and has shown great improvement in his playmaking ability.

Hyland averaged 10.1 points in just 19 minutes per game as a rookie, earning All-Rookie Second Team honors alongside Dosunmu. Although he’s been held to a steady 19 minutes in a reserve role on a contending roster in Denver, Bones has continued to prove his development with increases in his average points and assists per game as well as his three-point shooting and free throw splits.

However, Yahoo’s Jake Fischer indicates the Nuggets are shopping Hyland to prioritize winning a championship while their window is still open.

"“While Hyland has two years remaining on his rookie deal, an anticipation of [Bruce] Brown’s next payday, plus Hyland’s upcoming second contract, has the tax-conscious Nuggets considering their options in the backcourt. Occasional clashes between Hyland and head coach Michael Malone’s old-school mentality have also been a factor in Denver’s trade dialogue, sources said.”"

Bones Hyland has legitimate star potential that the Chicago Bulls’ current backcourt rotation lacks.

For a Bulls team that lacks much offensive firepower outside of the Big 3, they could use his scoring threat to take pressure off their star talent and help spread the offense. Hyland is shooting 37.9% on 5.9 attempts per game from beyond the arc this season, which would rank him as the second-best shooter on this roster behind only Zach LaVine. The Bulls have struggled with three-point shooting and adding Hyland to their roster would help alleviate that issue.

Hyland is a young player with a high ceiling, and adding him to the Bulls’ roster would fit in with their current youth movement. Williams, Dosunmu, and Dalen Terry form an interesting young core, but adding Hyland would give them a dynamic scorer to build around for the future.

Hyland is still on his rookie contract, so acquiring him would not require a significant investment of money or assets compared to other star players on the trade block. This makes him an attractive trade target for the Bulls, especially considering his potential to one day become a star player in his own right.

Also Worth Watching: Immanuel Quickley, Derrick Rose, TJ McConnell