The Chicago Bulls didn’t just sit still during the second round of the 2026 NBA Draft. They moved. And the move they made is actually about next year.
The Bulls held the No. 38 overall pick Tuesday night but flipped it to the Indiana Pacers as part of a trade that sent Kam Jones to Chicago. In return, Indiana got the draft rights to guard Braden Smith, the former Purdue star and one of the best point guards in college basketball last season. Smith was a consensus All-American who averaged 16.4 points and 7.5 assists per game for the Boilermakers, leading them to a Big Ten title and a deep March Madness run.
Here’s where it gets interesting. The Bulls didn’t just grab Jones and call it a night. They also picked up a 2025 second-round pick from the Pacers. That’s an asset they can use to trade up in next year’s draft, package in a deal for a veteran, or just keep as a cheap rotation piece. It’s a classic “take the known quantity now and grab a future chip” move.
Jones fits a need for Chicago. At 6-foot-5, he’s a combo guard who can create his own shot and has a reputation as a strong on-ball defender. He spent four years at Marquette and was the engine of Shaka Smart’s offense. The Bulls have been searching for backcourt depth behind Coby White and Ayo Dosunmu, and Jones gives them a ready-made option who can step into a rotation role immediately.
For the Pacers, this is about locking in a point guard of the future. Smith is undersized at 6-foot-1 but makes up for it with elite vision and a polished mid-range game. He’s not a freak athlete, but he’s crafty. Indiana has been hunting for a long-term answer at the position, and Smith gives them a smart, high-IQ option to develop behind Tyrese Haliburton if the Pacers keep him around.
The trade does raise a question for Chicago: where does Jones fit in the long-term plan? The Bulls already have a crowded backcourt with White, Dosunmu, and rookie Matas Buzelis. But the front office clearly sees Jones as a plug-and-play piece who can help now. And the 2025 pick gives them flexibility they didn’t have before.
Neither team has commented publicly on the deal beyond the standard league announcement. Fans online are already debating who got the better end. Smith’s college production is undeniable, but Jones is older and more ready to contribute right away. The Bulls are betting on immediate help plus a future asset. The Pacers are betting on upside.
Draft night is full of these kinds of deals — small moves that can look either brilliant or forgotten a year from now. Right now, both teams think they won.
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