Should the Chicago Bulls trade for Zion Williamson?

Can he be trusted enough to trade for? Does he fit the Bulls? Do the New Orleans Pelicans want to trade him? What would a trade package look like?

These are all questions that need to have answers before Artūras Karnišovas and company take things any further. 

Zion the Player

Williamson is one of the most polarizing players in the NBA.

He only played 24 games of his rookie season after being selected first overall in 2019. In his second season, he was an All-Star, but then missed his entire third season with an injury. Zion looked amazing in his fourth season, earning another All-Star nod, but he picked up a left hamstring injury that caused him to miss the rest of the season. His entire career up to this point has been plagued by injuries, with every stint of good play being soon overshadowed by an extended period of rehabilitation. 

Aside from the injuries, there is also a weight concern. His weight is such a problem, in fact, that there is a clause in his contract addressing it. On top of his weigt, he’s one of the few players in the NBA who doesn’t attempt threes. This makes him incredibly dependent on getting downhill to generate offense, which puts him at a greater likelihood of injury. 

But when he plays, he is unguardable. He has a career field goal percentage of 58.8%, which is 12th in NBA history. Even in a career-worst 2025-26 season, he is averaging 20+ points per game. He has also remained fairly healthy this season, playing in 21 consecutive games.

Zion’s fit in Chicago 

It makes sense that Chicago is eyeing Williamson.

He plays power forward, a position of need for the Bulls. He also fits Karnisovas’s philosophy of taking upside swings on young players, like trading for Josh Giddey and signing Jalen Smith. The Bulls have several expiring contracts and hold all of their future picks without protections.

The first two questions have been answered. Let’s look at the next few.

Can Williamson be trusted to trade for? Maybe. I don’t know. Zion’s availability issue is the sole reason he is potentially available to trade for in the first place. His left hamstring has been a recurring problem since year four, even missing 10 games to a strain this season. He is, however, playing his longest stretch of consecutive games since his second year in the NBA.

Does he fit the Bulls? Yes. The Bulls desperately need a four to bump Matas Buzelis to small forward full-time. The roster is full of stretch bigs, so Zion can have the paint and driving lanes clear. Chicago loves to play fast and get transition points, where Williamson’s athleticism can truly shine.

Zion the Trade Asset

Do the Pelicans want to trade him? No. New Orleans still views him as part of their future alongside Trey Murphy III, Jeremiah Fears, and Derik Queen. This means the Bulls have to give the Pelicans an offer they can’t refuse, which will not happen. Karnisovas has a history of valuing his players above the market, which is why Nikola Vucevic is still on the team and will probably leave in free agency for nothing.

What would a trade package look like? This is hard to answer. Zion is one of the most polarizing players in the league (causing his value to be very subjective), and the Pelicans don’t want to trade him. The Bulls would have to make an outrageous offer for him, which they probably shouldn’t. There is, though, a very loose mock trade that could work for both sides.

New Orleans Pelicans:  Any combination of two players from Nikola Vucevic, Zach Collins, and Kevin Huerter, plus an unprotected 2026 first-round pick

Chicago Bulls: Zion Williamson.

I believe a trade like this could work for both teams. New Orleans gets expiring contracts and out of Zion’s contract. They can save a bunch of future cap space and build around Queen and Fears. Everyone knows about the trade Joe Dumars did on draft night, trading away their 2026 pick, projected in the top three, to move up 10 spots. In this trade, they get back into this year’s loaded draft with an unprotected first.

And the Bulls get Zion. He’s the best piece in this trade and the cheapest 25-year-old with All-Star potential. The upside of this trade could give Chicago its superstar without the draft. If a trade like this could be done, without sacrificing multiple unprotected firsts, Chicago should trade for Zion Williamson.