Story by
Western Conference Contender Eyeing Trade for Bulls' Jalen Smith
- Story by
- Western Conference Contender Eyeing Trade for Bulls' Jalen Smith
Join the free online community at BullsRoundtable.com and subscribe to The Chicago RoundtaBulls Podcast for more daily coverage of the six-time NBA champions.
The Chicago Bulls are in their first year of a rebuild and have multiple veterans on expiring contracts or 1-and-1 deals. Bryson Graham's logical next step is to sell off his most valuable assets for future draft capital — something that the prior front office failed to do countless times.
Advertisement
That likely starts with Jalen Smith, who should be a sought-after trade candidate by teams looking to add frontcourt depth. The former top-10 pick has revived his career in Chicago, is still only 26 years old and is averaging career highs across the board.
According to NBA insider Jake Fischer, Smith's performance is already intriguing opposing franchises around the league. Fischer reported on Wednesday that the Golden State Warriors have called Chicago about potentially acquiring Smith.
The Warriors have been without center Kristaps Porzingis due to a long-term illness and have resorted to various stopgap options in his absence. Eleven different players have started a game for Golden State this season, tied for the most by any team in the NBA. Despite that, the Warriors are 5-3 on the heels of five consecutive wins and are looking to make one final postseason run in the twilight of Stephen Curry's career.
Smith is a true power forward, but has been forced to start at center for the Bulls because of Nic Claxton's hamstring injury. Through seven games this season, Smith is averaging 12.1 points, a team-leading 8.6 rebounds, 2.0 assists and 0.9 blocks per game, all of which are career highs. He's making 69.7% of his two-point shots, though his three-point accuracy has dropped from 37.3% a season ago to 27.8% this fall.
Oct 24, 2026; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Chicago Bulls center Jalen Smith (25) shoots against Washington Wizards center Deandre Ayton (8) during the first half at United Center. Mandatory Credit: Patrick Gorski-Imagn Images
That could be due to his increased volume, as Smith's 9.9 shot attempts and 5.1 three-point attempts per game — both the highest of his career — rank third on the Bulls. Outside of Norman Powell and Caleb Wilson, much of Chicago's roster has been unable to make their shots, forcing Smith into a bigger offensive role.
Advertisement
Making a Smith trade work could be difficult for the Warriors, who have limited assets. Rookie Yaxel Lendeborg, the No. 11 overall pick this summer, has been Golden State's second-best player and would certainly be unavailable in any Bulls request. Other young players include 23-year-old guard Brandin Podziemski, who signed a five-year, $110 million contract extension last month that essentially makes him immovable, and 24-year-old guard Moses Moody, who tore his patellar tendon in March.
Outside of that, the cabinet is pretty sparse.
The Warriors have all but one of their own unprotected draft picks from 2027 to 2033, but with the new lottery rules coming into effect, a middle-of-the-road Golden State team that barely misses the postseason or sneaks in through the Play-In Tournament still has solid odds of earning a top draft choice. Would sacrificing that for Smith — who will be an unrestricted free agent next summer — be worthwhile, especially with Curry's retirement looming?
That's up for the Warriors' front office to decide. But for now, Graham has a coveted asset, and he should not rush to trade Smith if he can get a better deal down the line.
