The latest Chicago Bulls news for Jan. 18, including a welcome report on Josh Giddey's health and some legitimate hope for an active, game-changing trade deadline.
Bulls get good news on the Josh Giddey injury front
Chicago's All-Star-caliber point guard hasn't played since injuring his hamstring during a Dec. 29 game against the Minnesota Timberwolves. (Bulls fans might be hearing more about them in the coming weeks.)
That means Giddey hasn't played at all in 2026 and has missed his team's last nine games. It would have been 10 without the whole condensation-soaked floor thing that postponed the Jan. 8 contest against the Miami Heat.
The Bulls were held under 100 points in two of those nine games. That only happened once in their first 32, and in the loss to Minnesota that Giddey left early, Chicago scored 101.
But according to K.C. Johnson of CHSN, the Bulls' floor general has taken perhaps the final step of his ramp-up process as he heads out for a G League assignment with the Windy City Bulls. If all goes well, Giddey could make his return to the big club either Tuesday or Thursday, Johnson adds.
If Giddey gets through this practice without incident, look for him Tuesday or Thursday https://t.co/0veeSPnhci
— K.C. Johnson (@KCJHoop) January 18, 2026
That would be a welcome sight in Chicago. At least for fans who are hoping for wins, anyway.
On a related note ...
Bulls are expected to be active at the NBA trade deadline
When it comes to executive VP of basketball operations Arturas Karnisovas, "active" is a relative term. Chicago's front office leader is hesitant to make moves of any kind, really, but especially in-season deals.
That could change in the next few weeks, according to Joe Cowley of the Chicago Sun-Times, who cites league sources as saying Karnisovas is taking a different approach this time around:
""According to several league sources, Karnisovas has been more transparent in trade talks and more realistic in asking prices since last year’s trade deadline. The feeling from other executives is that that momentum is carrying over heading toward the Feb. 5 trade deadline as Karnisovas looks to get something done with this roster.""Joe Cowley, Chicago Sun-Times
The Bulls have some logical trades to make involving long-time center Nikola Vucevic and 25-year-old guards Coby White and Ayo Dosunmu. Zach Collins ($18.1 million) and Kevin Huerter $17.9 million) are on valuable expiring contracts.
If Karnisovas decides to move in the other direction and make a splashy acquisition, he has his entire arsenal of first-round picks at his disposal.
Though Cowley is also realistic, writing, "But feeling like Karnisovas is trying to get something done and him actually accomplishing a deal are two very different outcomes."
Very different indeed.