Former Marquette standout Kam Jones is on the move after his rookie NBA season, traded from the Indiana Pacers to the Chicago Bulls. The deal sends Jones to Chicago in exchange for the No. 38 pick in the 2026 NBA Draft, which the Pacers used to acquire guard Braden Smith, according to Yahoo Sports.
The trade gives the Pacers an immediate backcourt boost in Smith, a sharp facilitator and three-level scorer who anchored Marquette's offense alongside Jones. Jones, who averaged limited minutes as a rookie last season, now lands in Chicago where he may have an opportunity to carve out a rotational role as a complementary guard.
This move reshuffles the Pacers' bench depth, adding a younger, longer playmaker in Smith while freeing up a roster spot. For the Bulls, it provides a low-cost, high-upside guard to develop behind Lonzo Ball and Coby White, particularly as Chicago continues to evaluate its backcourt mix.
Indiana now waits to see how Smith fits alongside Tyrese Haliburton and Bennedict Mathurin, while the Bulls will look to integrate Jones into their preseason plans. Neither team has confirmed further roster moves related to the swap.
Counter to the optimistic assessment, some analysts argue that Jones' defensive limitations could limit his value in Chicago's system, whereas Smith's offensive polish might come at the expense of defensive toughness. The full impact of this deal will only become clear once both players log significant NBA minutes.