Could Indiana Pacers big man Jalen Smith be a good Chicago Bulls trade target?

Could Indiana Pacers big man Jalen Smith be a good Chicago Bulls trade target? Smith has had himself a very good season with the Pacers in 2023-24, and could end up being the odd man out in Indiana given their overabundance of frontcourt players.

With UConn alum Andre Drummond a potential flight risk, Chicago could be in the market for a backup center. And Bleacher Report’s Zach Buckley thinks the Pacers combo big might be just the player the Bulls need to replace him if so. Smith has “he’s flashed the unique blend of shooting and shot-blocking” that made him an in-demand prospect before struggles at the NBA level nearly derailed his career.

“Beyond adding frontcourt depth, he’d check a few helpful boxes with his paint protection and ability to space the floor from the center spot,” writes the B/R league expert.

We would be very enthusiastic for such a move, with Smith replicating much of the best parts of Nikola Vucevic’ game and little of the worst.

There is still plenty of work to do to fix this roster, but if Chicago could pull such a swap off, it would help get that ball rolling for the Bulls.

Story originally appeared on Lonzo Wire