Trade season, usually one of the more exciting stretches of the NBA calendar with swirling rumors and high-stakes speculation, has so far been unusually subdued in 2025–26. Only one trade has materialized, and chatter around the league has been surprisingly quiet. The Washington Wizards’ seemingly out-of-the-blue acquisition of Trae Young was, of course, the trade in question. However, it felt somewhat anticlimactic, as Washington sent only 34-year-old CJ McCollum and Corey Kispert to the Atlanta Hawks in exchange for the four-time All-Star.
However, Young’s departure from Atlanta via trade isn’t all that surprising. After failing to reach a contract extension with the Hawks in the offseason, the writing was on the wall for the 27-year-old point guard.
Alas, Young wasn’t the only player long rumored as a trade candidate. Several Chicago Bulls, including Ayo Dosunmu, Zach Collins, Kevin Huerter, and Nikola Vucevic, have been on teams’ radars due to their expiring contracts. In fact, Vucevic’s name has circulated in trade talks for well over a year.
Bulls linked to 3 notable players
Aside from Young and the Bulls’ aforementioned trade candidates, three other players have also been regularly linked to Chicago: Anthony Davis, Jonathan Kuminga, and Domantas Sabonis.
Anthony Davis
Davis being linked to the Windy City isn’t exactly new—after all, he’s a Chicago native—but interest spiked over a month ago when ESPN’s Tim Bontemps listed the Bulls as a potential trade destination for the 10-time All-Star. While Davis might not be a perfect fit on his hometown team, he isn’t an ideal fit on the 14–23 Dallas Mavericks either.
Initially, trading for Davis seemed ill-advised, and while it still somewhat does, Atlanta’s return for Young might suggest otherwise. Considering the Hawks received a 34-year-old McCollum and a role player for a four-time All-Star, Davis’ value might not be much higher. He’s undoubtedly the more accomplished and versatile player, but at 32 with a concerning injury history, there are clear risks. That said, if sending Huerter, Vucevic, and Coby White gets the deal done, why not?
Jonathan Kuminga
On the other hand, Kuminga is almost the opposite of Davis. At just 23, he’s played 67 games or more in three of his four seasons, yet he’s currently out of his team’s rotation. Like Davis, however, Kuminga has been linked to Chicago—and for quite some time.
The athletic swingman was first linked to the Bulls ahead of the 2024 trade deadline, in talks centered around former Bull Alex Caruso. After those talks fell through, he remained connected to Chicago, and it seemed increasingly likely that he could join the Windy City in the 2025 offseason. Nonetheless, Chicago ultimately acquired Isaac Okoro as Kuminga entered restricted free agency.
Kuminga ultimately re-signed a two-year, $48.5 million deal, including a second-year team option. The structure provided flexibility for both the Warriors and Kuminga—flexibility that, less than three months later, seems likely to be tested, as a trade now feels all but inevitable.
Domantas Sabonis
Lastly, Sacramento Kings big man Domantas Sabonis has loosely been linked to Chicago in recent months, likely due to the two teams’ trading relationship. However, with the Kings sitting at 8–29 and lacking a clear identity, nearly every player on the roster seems like a potential trade candidate.
Sabonis doesn’t move the needle much either, much like Davis, though he is a few years younger and less expensive. That said, Chicago doesn’t quite have the ecosystem to support him. The 29-year-old is essentially a younger version of Vucevic—at least defensively. While he’s more of a bruiser, he does little to address the Bulls’ interior defensive issues, which have plagued the team for multiple seasons.
Chicago’s interest in these three players isn’t all that surprising, as each has been linked to the Bulls at some point in the past. Still, NBA insider Jake Fischer reiterated that Kuminga, along with Davis and Sabonis, are names to monitor should Chicago become a buyer ahead of the trade deadline.