Chicago Bulls Reportedly Interested in Zion Williamson? Not So Fast ...

The trade rumors keep coming for the Chicago Bulls.

After several recent connections to the Golden State Warriors' Jonathan Kuminga, an even bigger name has entered the chat. The New Orleans Pelicans' Zion Williamson is suspected to be on the front office's radar, per Brett Siegel of ClutchPoints.

“One situation that I’ll bring up: Keep a close eye on them possibly pursuing Zion Williamson of the Pelicans. I’ve heard that there has been some smoke there about Chicago scouting the Pelicans in recent weeks, and Zion would be the ideal buy-low candidate for a team like the Bulls, who have a lot of expiring contracts. It’s just something to keep an eye on. I think there is a little bit of smoke there, and we’ll see where this goes," Siegel said during the Clutch Scoops show on YouTube.

As far as I'm aware, this is the first time someone has directly linked Williamson to Chicago this season. But I don't expect it to come as a surprise to most.

The New Orleans Pelicans star has been a popular player for fans and media to throw into fake Chicago Bulls trades. First of all, he continues to look like someone in desperate need of a change of scenery. Not only has he struggled immensely to stay on the court in New Orleans, but the Pelicans have repeatedly been one of the worst teams in the NBA. With some other interesting young pieces now on their roster, moving Williams feels like something they could soon consider.

Secondly, much like Kuminga, Williamson certainly fits in with the type of talent the Bulls' front office has targeted in the trade market. Both Josh Giddey and Isaac Okoro were former lottery picks who seemed increasingly out of place with their original team. The Bulls swooped in for both, hoping that they could prove to be their salvation. Is it crazy to think that they could do the same with Williamson?

Nobody is denying that it would be a significant risk, as seeing Williamson in action has been as rare as finding a five-leaf clover (do those exist?) However, there is also no denying that he continues to look like a superstar-caliber player when he is on the floor. Williamson is averaging 22.4 points, 5.9 rebounds, and 3.4 assists a night on 56.2 percent shooting from the field this season. He has also tied his career-high with 8.7 trips to the free throw line a night.

Simply put, as far as buy-low candidates go, it's hard not to think twice about Williamson. This is especially true when we consider that his current contract comes with plenty of outs. Yes, his $42.2 million owed next year and $44.9 million owed in 2027-28 is daunting, but it features several stipulations regarding his health and weight. In other words, it's not fully guaranteed, and the Bulls would have a way to move on if things went south.

Nonetheless, even humoring a trade for Williamson depends on what the New Orleans Pelicans want in return. Are they looking to turn the page and willing to offload him for something similar to what the Hawks got back for Trae Young? Or are they still treating him like a prized possession and demanding multiple draft picks and young talent?

While I was leaning toward believing the former for some time, a recent report from Chris Haynes has suggested otherwise.

New Orleans Pelicans Now Shutting Down Trade Talks?

Zion Williamson of the New Orleans Pelicans — Jan 7, 2026; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; New Orleans Pelicans forward Zion Williamson (1) reacts on his way to the bench during a timeout against the Atlanta Hawks during the first half at State Farm Arena. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-Imagn Images | Dale Zanine-Imagn Images

Hours after the Zion Williamson buzz got rolling, Chris Haynes came out with some rather head-scratching news on social media.

The long-time reporter and insider shared that New Orleans is now telling front offices that Zion Williamson – along with multiple other young players – will remain with the Pelicans through February 5. The declaration has apparently "disappointed" teams and comes with still 27 days to go until the trade deadline.

It's an incredibly bizarre approach considering the Pelicans 8-31 record and 15th-place standing in the Western Conference. In fact, it's so bizarre that one has to wonder if it's simply a leverage play by the Pelicans' new front office. While refusing to trade recent lottery selections like Derik Queen and Jeremiah Fears is reasonable, why would they take the rest of their roster off the table? The only thing that makes sense would be trying to pressure interested teams to up the ante.

Still, why not wait to do that? Why send this message now when teams are still considering what they want to do at this deadline? Heck, just today we heard that the Grizzlies are open to moving Ja Morant! There is still so much time for doors to open and needs to change.

I suppose this is the same front office that controversially traded an unprotected first to move up in this past draft. In other words, folks around the league have already had a tough time following their logic. I'll believe they sit out the deadline when I see it, though. Shaking things up makes way too much sense for the franchise, and I do very much suspect teams will continue to dial their number, no matter what message they send in early January.

What I am less sure of, however, is whether the Chicago Bulls will be one of those teams. Once again, the whole point of going after Williamson would be the buy-low nature of it. If the Pelicans aren't acting eager to move off him, I could see Chicago promptly reverting course.

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