Big Man of the Future? Chicago Bulls Reportedly Tied to New Orleans Pelicans Center

The Chicago Bulls may have a big man on their radar.

Despite the organization being one of the most talked-about "sellers" at this year's trade deadline, little has come out about who or what Arturas Karnisovas hopes to get in return. While it's very common for teams to target draft capital in these situations, that hasn't necessarily been the Bulls' M.O. in recent years.

Instead, we have seen this front office prioritize more established young talent. They did this with the now 23-year-old Josh Giddey two offseasons ago before re-signing 25-year-old Tre Jones this summer. Then, they decided to send Lonzo Ball to the Cleveland Cavaliers for the 24-year-old Isaac Okoro, who was a former Top 5 pick in the draft.

To be sure, changing their team-building approach is part of what they have to do to get off the treadmill of mediocrity. In other words, pursuing some additional draft capital would likely be in their best interest. But that doesn't mean they have to stop surveying the league for young, change-of-scenery candidates entirely. Why not do both?

This feels especially true at this upcoming deadline. For whatever reason, there are a handful of recent first-rounders who appear to be available. In fact, we discussed three that could make sense for the Bulls to pursue just this week. And, right on cue, one of those players has now been linked to Chicago in a fresh rumor.

Chicago Bulls Interested in Yves Missi?

Yves Missi of the New Orleans Pelicans — Jan 14, 2026; New Orleans, Louisiana, USA; New Orleans Pelicans center Yves Missi (21) dribbles against Brooklyn Nets guard/forward Drake Powell (4) during the second half at Smoothie King Center. Mandatory Credit: Stephen Lew-Imagn Images | Stephen Lew-Imagn Images

According to Grant Afseth of the Dallas Hoops Journal, the Chicago Bulls have joined a Central Division foe in expressing interest in a New Orleans Pelicans big man:

"Sources indicate to that the Indiana Pacers and Chicago Bulls are two teams to monitor for Missi. However, there is believed to be more traction for the Pacers at this time, with Bennedict Mathurin as a player who would be involved in such a trade," Afseth wrote.

The Pelicans have reportedly made it known in recent weeks that they do not plan to move some of their most talked-about trade chips. However, multiple other reports have suggested that this does not include former first-round picks Jordan Hawkins or Yves Missi. The latter was drafted just last season with the No. 21 overall pick and is still only 21 years old. Nevertheless, the recent selection and emergence of Derik Queen have seemingly made the new front office open to moving him.

As including him in my recent article suggests, I'm not surprised to hear that Chicago may have an eye on the former Baylor standout. Nikola Vucevic is in the final year of his contract and appears destined to find a new home either by this deadline or in the offseason. Meanwhile, neither Jalen Smith nor Zach Collins has done enough to imply that they can be the backbone of the Bulls' frontcourt moving forward. The opening for a new center of the future is there, so why not take a chance on Missi?

The six-foot-eleven big man is a ridiculously explosive athlete with significant defensive upside. Chicago has been looking for a skillful rim protector for years, and Missi is still more than capable of turning into a legitimately imposing frontcourt anchor. Not only does he have the length to contest fellow fives, but he has the agility and lateral quickness to switch onto almost any player.

To be sure, he is far from a finished product on either end of the floor. His offense, in particular, is likely part of the reason why the Pelicans are willing to move off him. He isn't the kind of floor spacer Chicago has recently coveted, and his 61.7 percent free throw rate doesn't inspire much confidence when it comes to developing any outside shot. Missi's finishing has also been rather weak for someone with his raw athleticism and size. Those are all things to consider when potentially adding him into the mix.

At the same time, we are talking about someone who is in Year 2. The Bulls need to be in the business of talent acquisition, and there is still enough there to believe Missi can become a legitimately impactful two-way player, especially alongside an elite set-up man in Josh Giddey. Does that mean the Bulls should be ready to give up anything and anything to land him? No. But you at least consider it, particularly if New Orleans is interested in one of your expiring trade chips.

Would the Pelicans swap Missi for Coby White? What about Ayo Dosunmu? It's hard to say, specifically after they just drafted a promising lead guard in Jeremiah Fears. For what it's worth, the Bulls also have a protected Portland Trail Blazers first-round pick that could be of interest to a team that doesn't have its 2026 first-round pick. The Trail Blazers are 9th in the West and making a real run at a potential playoff spot.

At the end of the day, if this rumor tells us anything, it's that the Chicago Bulls do appear destined to take a step backward in the coming weeks. While Missi may already have one-and-a-half seasons under his belt, he remains a real project piece. The upside, though, is pretty darn clear, and the Bulls need to be in the business of upside.