4 High Risk, High Reward Trades the Chicago Bulls Could Make at the Deadline

What is the point of the NBA trade deadline if you're not talking yourself into some wild moves?

The Chicago Bulls remain in a prime position to create serious noise this February. They are holding on to a hefty grouping of expiring contracts, as well as a pair of highly intriguing young guards in the backcourt. Add in the full control over all their future draft picks, and this is a front office that could get involved in several ways.

The recent buzz has mainly suggested that the Bulls will look to use their flexibility to sell assets and build for the future. Not only does this feel like the wise move after three straight Play-In Tournament exits, but it also aligns with the recent youth movement they started after trading Zach LaVine. Yet ... when have the Bulls actually shown a willingness to take a step backward?

Time and again, this franchise has doubled down on remaining competitive. The idea of them doing that again when push comes to shove isn't hard to muster, especially when there are several potential big names available on the market. With that in mind, I thought it wouldn't hurt to review some of the biggest swings they could take this deadline, even if that's not the path most desire.

Below you will find four potential high-risk, high-reward trades for the Chicago Bulls. Keep in mind, the point here was to be semi-realistic. Do I think the Bulls WILL trade for any of these guys? No. However, if they were to make a big splash, these are big-name buy-low candidates that I believe they could talk themselves into.

Zion Williamson

The New Orleans Pelicans star has become a relatively popular name for fans and analysts to speculate about. Has there been any concrete reporting that links him to the Chicago Bulls? No. But it's not necessarily hard to imagine a world where the Bulls are interested.

Heck, the only moves the Bulls have made over the last couple of seasons centered around adding young players with experience. Josh Giddey jump-started that approach before Zach LaVine was moved for several role players at last year's deadline, including 25-year-old Tre Jones. They also did another one-for-one swap this offseason, moving Lonzo Ball in a direct exchange for former lottery pick Isaac Okoro.

Going after the 25-year-old Williamson would be doubling down on this approach with their most aggressive move yet. And there is no question that it could come with quite a significant reward.

The forward has been relatively healthy this season and has impressed in the process. He is averaging 22.8 points, 5.9 rebounds, and 3.2 assists on 55.8 percent shooting from the field. Even in the wake of all his injury trouble, he continues to look like an athletic freak of nature with ridiculous offensive upside. If it's superstar-caliber talent the Bulls want, that's exactly what they would get with Williamson.

Yes, the remaining three-years, $125 million on his contract is daunting, but that's also part of the reason why his price tag could be a lot cheaper than expected. Plus, Chicago is one of the few teams in the NBA that can add that kind of salary with remarkable ease.

To be sure, the Pelicans will want something of real value, but the Bulls are also stashed with all their future first-rounders AND an extra Trail Blazers pick. Could they get away with sending only one out for Williamson? If so ... is the risk worth the reward?

Sam Quinn of CBS Sports seems to think so. He joined the list of folks who see a possible fit for Williamson in Chicago this week, underscoring how this could be a great buy-low move for a talent-needy Bulls team. Quinn even wisely noted that Williamson's contract isn't fully guaranteed, as the Pelicans put in plenty of stipulations due to his past health scares. That should make the gamble a little more palatable.

Fake Trade ...

Again, if you're the Chicago Bulls, this feels like a pretty palatable deal. I even think there is a world where you could slap on a Top 4 protection to that 2027 pick. We all know there are major injury concerns with Williamson, and the Bulls' own problem keeping players healthy does not inspire much confidence. But this is all about buying low on someone who is a bona fide All-Star when right, and the Bulls would still have the flexibility to add more around him.

Anthony Davis

If the Chicago Bulls prefer a different injury-prone big man on an even larger salary, I got great news!

Unlike Zion Williamson, Anthony Davis has been connected to the Bulls in the past. Once Nico Harrison was shown the door earlier this season, the franchise immediately became a popular name for the former NBA Champion. In fact, a report even surfaced that said the front office had internal discussions about what a Davis pursuit could look like before backing off. Since then, the speculation around whether the Bulls could show interest has dissipated.

Nevertheless, the fact that the Bulls talked about this should not be ignored. While they have shown a desire to go the younger route and take a step back, we all know they have yet to do that in earnest. Chicago also happens to sit only two games below .500 and 1.5 games out from a Top 8 seed in the Eastern Conference. History tells us that this front office could convince itself that pushing for the postseason is the best move. And we all know Davis could help them do that.

Still considered among the NBA's elite two-way players, Davis is averaging 20.4 points, 10.8 rebounds, 2.8 assists, and 1.7 blocks per game. He has appeared in 18 games so far this season, including 12 of the last 16 games.

It's easy to see the potential benefits of pairing a physically dominant yet versatile big man like Davis with a backcourt wizard like Giddey. Likewise, adding Davis could mean moving Matas Buzelis over to the small forward spot, where he has started to thrive as a scorer. I hate to say it, but that trio feels like the kind that can clinch a playoff series and potentially even win one, especially when we consider Davis would solve their biggest issue – rim protection.

Is the juice really worth the squeeze, though? Davis is 32 years old and in the first year of a three-year, $175.4 million deal. Not only would the Bulls mortgage their future on someone who has played 70+ games once since the 2017-18 season, but they would instantly be back in win-now mode. It would go against every ounce of patience this organization has preached over the last year.

Indeed, at least with Williamson, you are banking on a younger and cheaper player who has some clear outs on his contract. You trade for Davis, you're locked in.

Fake Trade

Once again, am I doing this trade? No. But it's a big splash I could see the Chicago Bulls considering, and a return I could see the Dallas Mavericks weighing. They get to jump the free agency line and add a lead guard of the future alongside Cooper Flagg. Also, while I think they would potentially demand a more appealing first-round pick, the Bulls are helping them out here by taking Jaden Hardy's $6 million a year off the books to give them a little more wiggle room.

Michael Porter Jr.

The Chicago Bulls were somewhat shockingly named as a potential suitor for Michael Porter Jr. earlier this week. The forward has put together a career year thus far with the Brooklyn Nets, proving that he can be a far more versatile and reliable scoring threat than he was in Denver. In fact, while Brooklyn's 11-22 record may end up working against him, the latest All-Star return has the forward as a Top 9 Eastern Conference vote-getter.

All things considered, Porter Jr.'s immediate fit with Chicago would arguably be the best of these three players. His floor spacing and mobility should slide right into a Bulls team that plays at the third-highest PACE in the NBA and loves to keep the ball on the move. Likewise, with Coby White possibly out the door, this would fill a massive shotmaking hole and still have enough on-ball possessions to build on what we are seeing in Brooklyn.

Porter Jr. also doesn't turn 28 years old until after the 2025-26 season, which means his timeline should add up relatively well with that of this younger Bulls core. So what might be the holdup for Chicago? Well, Porter Jr. is owed a hefty $40.8 million next season before he will be up for a fresh deal. The results we're seeing this season are also on a rebuilding Nets team, making it hard to know the impact this version of Porter Jr. has on winning.

Durability is also a concern. Yes, he has eased those concerns by playing at least 77 games the past two seasons, but he was known for having significant injury trouble before that.

Nonetheless, if the goal is to make the Bulls a more talented team on paper, Porter Jr. would undoubtedly do that. He may not be the superstar-caliber performer like the names above, but Porter Jr. has already shown that he can be a key contributor on a championship-level team and continue to expand his game.

Fake Trade

The Brooklyn Nets will likely be in a position to start a bidding war for Michael Porter Jr., so I'm not sure if this deal gets the job done. However, landing Dosunmu feels like a very good get for this young team, as does securing a draft pick that is two years away. When have the Bulls ever shown they can pull it together? Speaking of which, I do think there is a world where the Nets insist on two firsts for this version of Porter Jr., but my thought was that perhaps including Dosunmu washes that out.

Ivica Zubac

I think it's safe to declare this one the "wild card."

Ivica Zubac may not be as big a name as the players above, but he sure has played like it over the last couple of seasons. The Clippers' big man is fresh off an All-Defensive Second Team campaign in 2024-25, and he continues to look like one of the organization's most valuable assets this year. He is averaging 15.0 points and 11.0 rebounds a night on 60.1 percent shooting from the field.

For a Bulls team that has gone years without a true rim-protector at the five, Zubac would immediately change that and significantly raise their ceiling. He carries one of the most physically imposing frames in the NBA at seven-foot-one, 240 lbs. Chicago has given up the fifth-most points in the paint this season, while the Clippers have only given up the ninth-most. Zubac is a big reason for that.

Zubac would also give Josh Giddey a high-caliber screener and roll man. Zubac may not be the most explosive athlete, but he has good hands and excellent touch around the rim. He is also still just 28 years old and in the first year of a remarkably reasonable three-year, $58.6 million contract.

With that in mind, the price on Zubac isn't expected to be cheap, and that's if the Clippers even decide to move him. Michael Scotto of HoopsHype reported that interested teams learned earlier this year that it would take at least two first-round picks to convince the Clippers to talk.

Fake Trade

Is this something the Chicago Bulls can justify doing? There is no question that Zubac would solve a lot of their problems and give them a long-term answer at the position. But we also know this team is far from being a true contender. This might be the kind of move you make when you are one move away ... not several. Maybe if the Clippers are willing to take the Portland pick, or you can slap a lottery protection on one of these, you can consider it.

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