Is Tre Jones Becoming One Of The Chicago Bulls' Best Trade Chips?

When nan Chicago Bulls' Tre Jones exploded for 34 points against nan Houston Rockets connected January 13, nan waste and acquisition talk felt inevitable.

The defender had been impressing successful his expanded domiciled since nan 2025-26 play tipped off. With Coby White sidelined to statesman nan year, caput coach Billy Donovan put Jones alongside Josh Giddey successful nan starting lineup until nan starring scorer's return. Not only did he look much than comfortable successful this role, but he did not suffer a hit erstwhile transitioning backmost to nan 2nd unit.

Fast guardant to precocious December pinch much wounded problem for nan Bulls' backcourt, and Donovan turned to Jones again. The 34-point outburst connected a stunning 11-12 shooting came 7 games later. And he did it successful only 27 minutes of action. While different return to nan chair would yet follow, Jones proved for a 2nd clip that his spot successful nan rotation didn't matter. He has now had back-to-back double-doubles to thief Chicago triumph 2 straight: 10 points and 10 assists against Brooklyn, followed by 15 points and 10 assists against Los Angeles.

Overall, Jones has played successful 37 of nan team's 43 games this season, averaging 12.4 points, 5.8 assists, 3.0 rebounds, and 1.3 steals a night. He's besides changeable a remarkably awesome 54.6 percent from nan section and has forced his measurement to nan kindness stripe for a career-high 3.7 attempts per game. Even pinch nan Bulls sitting successful nan aforesaid middling spot successful nan Eastern Conference standings, Jones' accordant accumulation has been difficult not to notice.

Nothing underscores that much than what K.C. Johnson of nan Chicago Sports Network had to opportunity connected nan latest episode of The Fastbreak. When reviewing Arturas Karnisovas' caller transactions, Johnson made mention of acquiring Jones, who he says whitethorn now beryllium a flippable portion for nan beforehand office.

"There is already immoderate Tre Jones chatter astir nan league," Johnson stated. "Could he beryllium flipped because he has a very tradeable contract, and he's playing astatine a precocious level and could use immoderate squad successful nan league. So that's thing to show betwixt now and February 5."

While nan Bulls' uptempo marque of hoops whitethorn fresh champion pinch Jones' skillset, location is nary mobility he has nan benignant of crippled that could descent into astir immoderate system. He is simply a pass-first subordinate pinch underrated tribunal imagination and nan fifth-highest assist-to-turnover ratio successful nan NBA (minimum 37 games). In different words, he is perpetually looking to make those astir him amended and limits his mistakes successful nan process.

His progressive hands connected nan protect extremity person besides been difficult to ignore. Jones' six-foot-one framework whitethorn activity against him connected immoderate nights, but he is simply a hard-working defender pinch a existent knack for cutting disconnected passing lanes and denying introduction passes. Contenders are ever hoping to adhd two-way talent earlier a postseason run.

The existent kicker, though, is Jones' highly cost-effective contract. One of nan very fewer things Karnisovas deserves in installments for is his expertise to re-sign guards to valuable deals. He did it pinch Coby White and Ayo Dosunmu, only to travel suit pinch Jones. The defender is connected a three-year, $21.0 cardinal statement that nets him a level $8.0 cardinal each season. Talk astir an instantly beardown return connected investment!

At this rate, if contenders are calling astir White and Dosunmu, why wouldn't they besides inquire astir Jones? The little businesslike three-point shooting whitethorn beryllium 1 reason, but it's genuinely difficult to deliberation of galore others, specifically erstwhile we see nan measurement he has played nan past fewer weeks. Especially if you're a squad pinch constricted financial flexibility, you would not person to interest astir paying Jones arsenic soon arsenic this offseason to debar losing him for nothing. That matters.

Now, has Jones been powerfully connected to immoderate circumstantial squad yet? No. But Johnson has seemingly made clear that nan chatter exists, and we each cognize location is nary shortage of teams that tin usage nan backcourt help. The Houston Rockets and Minnesota Timberwolves are nan 2 that person travel up nan most. However, New York seems to beryllium successful request of much dependable ball-handling, while nan Orlando Magic person remained short connected defender depth.

To beryllium sure, location is much urgency to move White and Dosunmu, considering nan statement situation. The Bulls could ever look to build Jones' worth moreover much moving forward. With that said, this is besides an statement that has grounded to waste precocious clip and again. If nan liking successful Jones is starting to build and cost-conscious teams are starting to for illustration him complete Chicago's different options, they would beryllium incorrect not to listen. Everything has to beryllium connected nan array pinch 15 days to spell until nan deadline.