Chicago Bulls Linked To Ja Morant Trade Rumors

The Chicago Bulls are on to something to start the 2025–26 NBA season. With a 6–4 start to their schedule, the rebuilding Bulls find themselves in the middle of the Eastern Conference standings. But that's not the only early-season surprise for the team from the Windy City. Several sources have linked the Bulls as trade partners with the Memphis Grizzlies and their disgruntled All-Star point guard, Ja Morant

Among the names mentioned as possible trade pieces are point guard Coby White and forward Zach Collins. According to the Ringer’s Michael Pina, acquiring a talent of Morant's caliber would transform Chicago's trajectory, though the deal would add approximately $9 million to the Bulls' salary cap this season and require a commitment of $87 million over the next two years.

Yet the Bulls should be cautious of making this deal, as their young core, featuring Josh Giddey and Matas Buzelis, has exceeded expectations while building on positive chemistry. While Morant is certainly an explosive player on the court athletically, his relationship with former Memphis coach Taylor Jenkins and current Head Coach Tuomas Iisalo has been part of the reason for the Grizzlies' struggles at the end of last season and to kick off the 2025–26 schedule.

Through the Grizzlies' first 11 games this season, Morant has averaged 18.9 points, 8.1 assists, and 3.7 rebounds. Although these are solid numbers, they are far below his All-NBA standards and have been declining for two straight seasons. Under contract until the end of 2028 with $39 million, $42 million, and $44.8 million owed for this season and the following two, the Bulls have to ask themselves if Morant is actually worth it.

While both White and Collins are currently dealing with injuries, an issue that could impact the deal from happening, the Bulls would have to question whether moving 25 year old White (an unrestricted free agent next summer), who for the past two years has averaged 20 points, 4.5 assists and four rebounds, is worth giving up on considering the team has finally begun to experience some positivity since the end of last season.

Although the allure of pairing Morant with current combo guard Giddey gives Chicago one of the NBA’s most explosive backcourts and a true superstar level player since Derrick Rose, plugging this trade into the ESPN Trade Machine returns a result of minus two wins for the Grizzlies and does not impact the Bulls' overall win total this season. Not exactly a ringing endorsement, even if it is just a computer’s opinion.