The Chicago Bulls, Sacramento Kings, and San Antonio Spurs engaged in a three-team trade, sending Zach LaVine, a plethora of draft capital to Sacramento, De'Aaron Fox to San Antonio, and three players and a first-round draft pick to Chicago.
The three players sent to the Bulls were Kevin Huerter, Tre Jones, and Zach Collins. The former came by way of Sacramento, while the latter two previously suited up for the Spurs. All in all, the Bulls ditched $43 million, absorbing a tick under $43 million in the process. However, all three players will be off Chicago's books by 2026.
Subsequent to the mega-deal, Chicago is actively working to flip at least two of the three acquisitions. According to Bulls' Insider K.C. Johnson, Chicago is actively working to make succeeding trades ahead of the February 6 deadline.
Bulls make Zach LaVine trade official. As expected, Bulls waive Torrey Craig & Chris Duarte to clear roster spots for Tre Jones, Kevin Huerter and Zach Collins
— K.C. Johnson (@KCJHoop) February 3, 2025
Bulls are still actively working to make trades, including potentially flipping Jones and/or Huerter.
Chicago intends to trade Tre Jones, Kevin Huerter, or both
The Chicago Sports Network Insider listed Huerter and Jones as the two players the Bulls are targeting to reroute. Huerter is on the books for $16.8 million this season and $17.9 next, while Jones is playing on an expiring pact worth merely $9.1 million.
The former Spur should attract a relatively strong market. He's having a down year compared to his previous two, but he's young (25 years old), inexpensive, and an unrestricted free agent after this season. The 6-foot-1 guard is an ideal backup point guard, capable of piloting an offense without its primary ball handler on the floor. Jones has ranked in the top 10 in assist-to-turnover ratio for three consecutive seasons.
Huerter, like Jones, isn't having the best of seasons. He's averaging a career-low 7.9 points per game. The 6-foot-7 wing is converting 41.3 percent of his field goals and 30.2 percent of his triples. Two seasons ago, Huerter enjoyed his best season. He averaged 15.2 points and connected on 2.7 three-pointers per game on a 40.2 percent clip. There's certainly time for the 26-year-old to turn it around.
Jones and Huerter are quality additions to most teams. Nonetheless, the Bulls aren't one of them. Chicago's backcourt is flush with talent. Despite trading away LaVine, Chicago still rosters Ayo Dosunmu, Coby White, Josh Giddey, Lonzo Ball, Talen Horton-Tucker, and even Dalen Terry (who's a natural shooting guard that's been primarily playing up a position).
There's a path to playing time for Huerter, who makes sense on the wing. But Jones is not essential. Dosunmu, White, Giddey, and Ball are all primary ball handlers, although several of the previously mentioned Bulls have grown accustomed to playing off-ball in a free-flowing offense.
Furthermore, the Bulls will likely trade starting center Nikola Vucevic after jettisoning LaVine. If Vooch is traded, expect a starting big man in return. Collins is a more-than-capable placeholder, but additional reinforcements are certainly a worthwhile investment, especially at Jones' and Huerter's expense.