3 Bulls Who Won’t Return Next Season
Farewell, Chicago.
Dec 19, 2024; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Chicago Bulls guard Lonzo Ball (2), center Nikola Vucevic (9), and forward Julian Phillips (15) react during a stoppage in play against the Boston Celtics in the second quarter at TD Garden.
The Bulls’ biggest move at the 2025 trade deadline was finally parting ways with Zach LaVine after more than a year of attempting to deal him. The trade focused more on offloading LaVine than securing valuable assets, but at least it signaled a shift toward rebuilding.
Chicago then made a rare smart decision by re-signing Lonzo Ball to a two-year, $20 million extension, a move that made sense for the team.
However, the front office didn’t take further action. Nikola Vucevic remains on the roster without an apparent role. Coby White, who might have brought back more assets than LaVine, is still with the team, showing no clear signs of significant improvement. Other young players, like Ayo Dosunmu and Patrick Williams, were also retained despite varying trade values.
This offseason could bring changes, though. As teams reassess their rosters, expiring contracts become more attractive, and there’s more time to negotiate trades without deadline pressure.
Here are three Bulls players likely to be gone before next season.
3 Bulls Players Who Won’t Return for 2025-26
3. Tre Jones
Jones arrived from the San Antonio Spurs in the LaVine trade, which also brought Zach Collins and Kevin Huerter from the Sacramento Kings.
Collins and Huerter, both role players, are set to earn around $18 million next season. Huerter, despite his struggles this year, retains value as a sharpshooter on an expiring deal. The Bulls may prefer to wait and see if his performance improves.
Jones, however, seems the most likely to depart. At 25, he’s a solid backup point guard, but with his contract expiring and Chicago already overloaded in the backcourt, he’s the easiest piece to let go.
2. Nikola Vucevic
The Bulls missed their chance to trade Vucevic when his value was highest, but he should still attract interest this offseason.
Though his efficiency is declining as he ages, he remains a dependable double-double threat and a stretch-five who could contribute to a title contender.
With an expiring $21.5 million contract next season, Vucevic becomes a valuable trade asset. Expect Chicago to explore options to move its oldest player.
1. Lonzo Ball
Re-signing Ball made sense, given his remarkable recovery from injury and leadership on a young Bulls roster. However, his contract is structured perfectly for a trade.
The extension is two years and $20 million, but with a crucial team option in the second year, making it a highly attractive expiring contract.
The Bulls received trade inquiries for Ball at the deadline. While arguments exist for keeping him, his injury history remains a concern, and he fits better on a contending team than a rebuilding one.
Given the situation, Chicago should move on this summer and allow younger players like White, Dosunmu, and potentially Josh Giddey to take on larger roles.