As the calendar approaches the mid-month point of January, NBA teams have roughly one month to figure out their trade plans.
The Chicago Bulls have been linked to a handful of candidates—some of whom are pretty notable in today’s trade market.
The recent rumblings of New Orleans Pelicans forward Zion Williamson being a potential Chicago target have NBA and Bulls fans talking.
NBA Fans React to Zion Williamson Smoke in Chicago
via @DunkCentral: The Chicago Bulls are a team to monitor for Zion Williamson, per
@BrettSiegelNBA
“I’ve heard that there’s been some smoke there about Chicago scouting New Orleans 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.”
@Money_and_Memes: Zion to Chicago? Bulls really out here trying to turn the United Center into a highlight reel AND an ER waiting room at the same time. Man’s a cheat code when he plays… but that’s the problem, WHEN he plays. If they can snag him for like Vooch + Huerter + scraps and no picks, sure why not? Low risk gamble on a 25yo freak athlete. But if we gotta give up Pat Will or future assets… hard pass. We’ve been hurt before.
@SolOpperatoooor: Would of been a good trade if Lonzo was Chicago
@CamPorterJr: One of the only smart ideas coming from Chicago. Zion is still a special player
@nuttallriley1: Wouldn’t touch him with a 10 foot pole.. 100% will let you and your team down.
@BallKnowerSquad: Solidifying their position as an eternal play in team
The career of Williamson could be described as disappointing, although he has had plenty of impressive flashes, making him still an intriguing player in the league.
It’s no secret the New Orleans Pelicans have struggled as an organization throughout the Zion era, which makes the former No. 1 pick a curious case. How would he look somewhere else?
@vexcorex: Zion’s a beast when healthy. Bulls gotta be careful with this one
@thewordsbychris: He should go for less than what Trae young went for if he’s traded
@TakeshiKovacs37: Imagine going after Zion and not Julius Randle
Availability is super important in the NBA. Since 2019, Zion has played in more than 50 games just twice. When he appeared in a career-high 70 games during the 2023-2024 season, the star forward averaged 22.9 points, 5.8 rebounds, and 5.0 assists.
Last year, Williamson failed to exceed 30 games of action. He missed a chunk of games earlier this season, but recently wrapped up his 23rd showing of the year.
So far, Zion is averaging 22.4 points, 5.9 rebounds, and 3.4 assists. He is making 56 percent of his shots from the field, taking 14.4 shots per game.
The 17-20 Bulls are hovering around the NBA Play-In tournament, and might see themselves as one star away from being competitive enough for a playoff run. However, NBA fans seem to believe their front offie should be more hesitant while considering Williamson as a potential target.