For the second time tonight, the Chicago Bulls have made a trade.
They first sent their No. 56 pick to the Los Angeles Lakers for (old friend) cash considerations. This left them with only the No. 38 selection heading into the festivities, only for them to then move that pick while on the clock.
According to multiple reports, the teams selected Purdue’s Braden Smith for the Indiana Pacers. They will receive guard Kam Jones, two future second-round swaps (h/t Tony East), and cash in return.
Rarely do we see a current NBA player involved in a draft night deal, specifically in the second round. The Bulls clearly valued Kam Jones more than any of the options on the board, however.
Coincidentally, Jones was picked in the 2025 NBA Draft in the identical No 38 spot.
The two pick swaps also shouldn’t be entirely overlooked. To be sure, the Pacers are expected to be significantly better than the Bulls in the near future, meaning it’s unlikely the Bulls would want to swap. However, if the two were to end up in the new 16-team lottery, there is a scenario where Chicago benefits from the new inverse order rule. New lottery reform has made it so that now the order for the first 16 teams in Round 1 is flipped to Round 2.
Chicago Bulls Trade for Kam Jones
Apr 10, 2026; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; Indiana Pacers guard Kam Jones (7) drives to the basket against Philadelphia 76ers guard Quentin Grimes (5) during the first half at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images | Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images
Look, there are reasons to be frustrated with this trade. The Bulls moving out of BOTH their second-round picks feels like the same old, same old. Bryson Graham was supposed to be brought in to change the status quo. By still treating second-round picks as an afterthought, he certainly isn’t doing that.
Likewise, wasn’t he brought to Chicago for his talent evaluation skills? Isn’t this the part of the draft where he should be putting his skills to the test? There were plenty of interesting names left in this early second round, so much so that we even saw several teams strike trades in the 30s to get in on the action.
It’s hard to believe there is no one the Bulls liked. And, if the player they did like was set to go a couple spots higher, why not use your ridiculously deep arsenal of seconds to move up and grab that player?
The half-glass-full perspective of this move is that the Bulls essentially still made a pick … just a year late. Kam Jones is coming back to the team and actually happened to be one of my favorite second-round names in 2025. A former Marquette guard, Jones appeared in 37 games for the Pacers this last season and started seven.
Jones’ numbers left a lot to be desired in his rookie year, averaging a mere 4.4 points and 3.2 assists. But there are reasons to still feel optimistic about the player he can become. Jones was a stick of dynamite when at Marquette. The six-foot-four guard averaged 19.2 points, 5.9 assists, 4.5 rebounds, and 1.4 steals a night during his senior season.
Jones was known for his footwork and quickness. He was a highly efficient finisher around the rim thanks to his strong upper body and consistently forced his way to the charity stripe. Jones also showed a lot of growth over his college career as a passer, stepping into the lead guard role with surprising ease.
For a Bulls team that seemingly wants to pound the paint and play in transition, Jones can make a lot of sense. He’s also got a three-point shot that could return to form. He was a really strong shooter on high volume in college before shockingly facing a drop-off during his senior year.
Would it have been nice to see him look a lot more comfortable with the Pacers last season? Absolutely, especially when we consider they were riding the tank train, and he could’ve earned more opportunities. But Year 1 can always come with a stark adjustment period. Clearly, the Bulls still saw enough to believe he can be a worthwhile addition.
It will now be up to Bryson Graham and Tiago Splitter to prove that.
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