3 Contenders Who Could Call the Chicago Bulls About Their Guards

While the Chicago Bulls' trade deadline plans remain unclear, it feels safe to assume that the phone lines will be busy.

Weeks of reports have suggested that the organization is receiving plenty of calls on its roster. As underwhelming as the on-court product might be, there are undeniably players in-house who could make sense on more complete teams. The Bulls' guards, in particular, check that box.

With that in mind, let's go over which contenders may make the most sense as a trade partner come February 5.

Minnesota Timberwolves

With the Minnesota Timberwolves losing four straight (including one to the Chicago Bulls) and sitting 7th in the Western Conference, some might be hesitant to call this team a true contender. However, Anthony Edwards remains one of the NBA's brightest stars, and he has helped this organization to back-to-back Western Conference Finals. They remain very much in the picture, especially if they can solve one of their biggest problems.

The Timberwolves have been searching for an answer at the point guard position for years. They drafted Rob Dillingham in the lottery two drafts ago in hopes that he may be able to fill the void. The team also added a steady deep threat in Donte DiVincenzo as part of the Karl-Anthony Towns trade.

Nevertheless, Dillingham turned out to be far more raw than initially expected, while DiVincenzo never felt best suited for the role of primary ball-handler. This is why Minnesota continues to be linked to guards at this season's trade deadline, and who has more servicable backcourt players up for grabs than the Bulls?

The rumors have already been swirling around a potential deal between Chicago and Minnesota. The Timberwolves reportedly contacted the Bulls about Coby White earlier this year, and he has remained heavily linked to the organization since. However, Ayo Dosunmu and Tre Jones have played better and better basketball as of late, and this has seemingly put them on the Timberwolves' radar, as well.

Indeed, Joe Cowley of the Chicago Sun-Times recently reported that the Wolves have "inquired" about both Jones and Dosunmu. If the team is genuinely interested in all three, there is no question that the possibility of getting a deal done before February 5 skyrockets. For what it's worth, two of the three players also ended up looking pretty darn comfortable on Minnesota's home floor Thursday night.

While White may have shot only 6-16 from the field, he went 7-9 from the charity stripe and recorded his third-straight 20-point effort. The previously injured guard is starting to look a lot more like the scorer we know he can be. As for Jones, he had 12 points and 7 assists for a team-high +9 performance. He even iced the game with a fantastic drive and finish in the final seconds.

Ayo Dosunmu may have struggled in the contest, but there is no question that he has been the most consistent of the three this season. He is averaging career-highs across the board, which includes a staggering 45.9 percent clip from behind the arc. Before his 8-point effort in Minnesota, Dosunmu was averaging essentially 17.0 points and 5.0 assists in his previous 10 games.

At the end of the day, the Timberwolves simply need a player who can help break up some of their isolation possessions and add some reliable ball-handling along the perimeter. It's easy to see each one of the Bulls guards fitting into the group they have now, so getting some kind of deal done before the deadline makes too much sense.

Houston Rockets

When compared to Minnesota, the Houston Rockets have arguably an even more glaring hold in the backcourt.

Fred VanVleet was initially going to serve as the team's lead guard and a key veteran voice alongside Kevin Durant. Unfortunately, before the season even tipped off, the former champion suffered a torn ACL and was sidelined indefinitely. Giving up Dillon Brooks and Jalen Green in the deal to acquire Durant, VanVleet's injury left the Rockets incredibly thin at the guard position. They have been left with second-year lottery pick Reed Sheppard and veteran reserve Aaron Holiday. Is either capable of being the lead guard this team needs come playoff time?

The way the Rockets have approached things so far suggests that the answer is no. They have started the majority of their games without a true lead guard in the lineup. Instead, the bulk of their facilitating has come from big man Alperen Sengun and sophomore wing Amen Thompson. To be sure, this has worked well enough to earn them a Top 4 spot in a very competitive West, but it still feels fair to wonder how sustainable this approach is.

Houston has the second-lowest assist percentage in the NBA, and only the Portland Trail Blazers turn the ball over more on a nightly basis. Those two stats do not necessarily bode well for when things get tighter come playoff time. With that in mind, most would be surprised to see this all-in team not attempt to bolster their guard depth at the deadline. And, as made clear above, what better team to call than the Bulls?

Coby White, Ayo Dosunmu, and Tre Jones would each make a difference, but Dosunmu really feels like a strong fit for an Ime Udoka-led team. The Rockets pride themselves on their physical and disciplined defense. White remains subpar on this end of the floor, while Jones lacks size at six-foot-one. Dosunmu would give the Rockets more consistent two-way play and allow them not to sacrifice length along the perimeter. He would also bring some great transition playmaking ability to a team that has the third-lowest PACE in the NBA.

At the same time, if the Rockets are slightly concerned about the financial implications, Jones feels like a viable option. He has the high-IQ passing ability to find the Rockets' many athletic wings and feed their savvy big man. Not to mention, he's having one of his best seasons when it comes to forcing turnovers.

New York Knicks

Things have started to trend in the wrong direction for the New York Knicks.

Their switch-up at head coach after last year's Eastern Conference Finals run has yet to yield better results. While they were able to take home the league's NBA Cup trophy, they have gone just 3-9 over their last 12 games. During this span, they have sat bottom 10 in net rating and have averaged the seventh-fewest points in the NBA.

Karl Anthony-Towns has struggled to replicate his strong 2024-25 campaign, while the burden on Jalen Brunson has only grown. The team's defense has also taken a real hit despite the presence of respected wings like Mikal Bridges and OG Anunoby. They rank just 17th in defensive rating this season.

There is no denying the talent level on this Knicks team, but something just isn't clicking. And that's pretty darn worrisome when you consider the all-in nature of their current situation. This is why some have even speculated about the team considering a move as drastic as trading Towns. The much more likely situation, however, is that they look to add to this team around the margins. Their bench depth has left a lot to be desired, as they have averaged the fourth-fewest points of any second unit this season.

With that in mind, New York feels like another team that could look at someone like Ayo Dosunmu as a worthwhile addition. Whether it be Tyler Kolek, Jordan Clarkson, or even Miles McBride, they just have not found someone who can fill that sparkplug reserve role consistently. If this season has shown us anything, it's that Dosunmu can do that at a high level.

I even wonder if the Knicks would consider Coby White. While they aren't necessarily in the financial position to re-sign him this summer, they may be one of the championship-or-bust teams willing to take him on as a rental.

Now, it does feel important to note that making a move would be more difficult for New York than it would be for either Houston or Minnesota. They don't have as much wiggle room on the cap sheet, nor as many assets the Bulls might covet. But if we are simply talking about contenders who could use what Chicago has to offer, there is no question that New York makes the cut.