A Trade Between the Chicago Bulls and Houston Rockets Makes Too Much Sense

I'm no matchmaker, but the Chicago Bulls and Houston Rockets look good together, right?

The two sides have already been connected throughout this trade season. Many have pointed toward the Rockets' lack of backcourt depth as a reason why the Bulls could be a worthwhile trade partner. The injury to Fred VanVleet in the offseason left the team searching for answers. Both second-year lottery pick Reed Sheppard and journeyman reserve Aaron Holiday have had their chances to carve out a bigger role. The results, however, have led them to start the majority of games without a true facilitator on the floor, leaning heavily on Alperen Şengün and Amen Thompson for playmaking duties.

To Ime Udoka's credit, the Rockets have made do. They are currently fourth in the Western Conference with a record of 28-16. The only problem is that a mere 1.5 games separates the win-now Rockets from a spot in the Play-In Tournament. In other words, the West is as competitive as it comes, and filling their most glaring hole before the trade deadline feels like it could be in their best interest.

Whether it be Coby White, Ayo Dosunmu, or even Tre Jones (who dropped a career-high 34 points on the Rockets), the Bulls have several options who could make sense for any guard-needy team. White would bolster their three-point shooting significantly, as they currently average the second-fewest attempts in the league. Dosunmu would fit Udoka's hard-nosed play style, providing a spark on both ends of the floor. The same can be said of Jones, who is also the most efficient distributor of the three.

Again, the Bulls' bevy of guards has been reason enough to fire up the trade machine and think through possible deals between these two. But the most recent injury news out of Houston has now made it feel like fans should "Parent Trap" Artūras Karnišovas and Rafeal Stone into a meeting.

Do the Houston Rockets Now Need a Big Man?

Steven Adams of the Chicago Bulls — Jan 13, 2026; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Rockets center Steven Adams (12) attempts to grab a rebound during the fourth quarter against the Chicago Bulls at Toyota Center. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images | Troy Taormina-Imagn Images

ESPN's Shams Charania reported on Wednesday that Steven Adams will have to undergo a season-ending ankle surgery. The Houston Rockets' big man has been essential to the team's identity this season, which has revolved largely around capitalizing on second-chance points. Adam played 22.8 minutes off the bench and averaged 4.5 offensive rebounds a night. He even started 11 games this season, frequently playing alongside Alperen Şengün in a double-big lineup.

The good news for Houston is that they did sign Clint Capela this past offseason. An incredibly experienced big man with his own knack for gobbling up offensive rebounds, Capela has appeared in 38 games and should be ready to see his workload increase. Nevertheless, the Rockets have relied heavily on center depth, and they could suddenly run into a real problem if another injury emerges.

You get where I'm going with this, right? Not only do the Bulls have an answer for Houston in the backcourt, but they could have an answer in the frontcourt!

Nikola Vučević has continued to put together a solid season, averaging 16.8 points, 9.1 rebounds, and 3.8 assists a night. He has also remained a viable option from deep with his 37.9 percent clip on nearly 5.0 attempts per game. To be sure, when compared to the physically imposing Steven Adams, he is a very different player. But who's to say that isn't a worthwhile wrinkle to add to the rotation come playoff time?

Vučević would give Houston their only pick-and-pop threat, as well as someone who is more than capable of holding his own on the glass. He may not be as big a threat to force second-chance points, but he is still considered a double-double machine.

Now, would Vučević be willing to step into a smaller role behind Şengün? It certainly feels possible in the right environment. The 35-year-old big man is already trending in that direction with his fewest nightly minutes since the 2017-18 season. If he wants a chance to compete for something more meaningful, moving into a reserve role may be his best option. Heck, that very well could be the reality he faces this offseason when hitting unrestricted free agency.

Vučević isn't the only frontcourt player the Bulls have to offer, though. Jalen Smith has played some of the best basketball of his career and could make even more sense on this pre-existing Rockets team. As a group that likes to play two bigs, he has shown the ability to clock minutes at both the four and five this season. Not to mention, he has been the Bulls' best offensive rebounder this year, averaging 3.3 per 36 minutes.

Over his last 13 games, in particular, Smith has shown what he can do with increased opportunity. He is averaging 12.2 points, 8.8 rebounds, and 1.2 blocks per game with a 37.5 percent clip from downtown. The 25-year-old has used this stretch to bump his On/Off efficiency differential to a staggering +14.1 this season, which Cleaning the Glass ranks inside the NBA's 96th percentile.

Even better, Smith comes with a very team-friendly price tag. He is owed just $9.0 million this year before making $9.4 million in 2026-27. Houston could acquire him with plans to make him a focal point of the rotation moving forward.

Get to the fake trade already!

Here is one that works in the trade machine ...

If you're the Bulls, the whole point here would be to add another high-upside young wing who you re-sign in the offseason. Then, you can look to flip a healthy Fred VanVleet to a contender for an additional asset.

With that said, this may be far too rich for the Rockets' blood. They have seemingly been hesitant to move Eason, while giving up a future Phoenix pick isn't some kind of no-brainer. However, with Eason owed a meaningful payday, he alone doesn't feel like enough for these two. Phoenix has also performed far better than expected this season, meaning that pick may not be as valuable as originally thought.

A similar deal would also work that features Nikola Vučević and Ayo Dosunmu going to Houston in exchange for VanVleet and Eason. However, considering the value Dosunmu seems to have on the current market, I think the Bulls would also demand a pick. I'm more hesitant to think the Rockets include one in this situation, knowing Vučević's defensive deficiencies and the fact that both players are "rentals."

Nonetheless, the primary point is that the Bulls are well-positioned to help the Rockets fill their two biggest voids. Houston has every intention to compete for an NBA title after aggressively pursuing Kevin Durant, and Chicago would be wise to remind them of that as this deadline inches closer. Even if a deal fails to come to fruition, how bad could one date be?