The Chicago Bulls are trading Rob Dillingham to the Charlotte Hornets for Buddy Hield and cash, sources told ESPN's Shams Charania on Saturday.
Dillingham, the No. 8 pick in the 2024 NBA draft and still just 21 years old, is being traded less than a year after landing in Chicago at the trade deadline last season. He appeared in 30 games for the Bulls, averaging 9.6 points and 2.8 assists.
Dillingham could have a chance for a larger role in Charlotte, which traded longtime starting guard LaMelo Ball to the Timberwolves earlier this offseason. News of this trade comes just one day after the Hornets announced that second-year guard Kon Knueppel has been sidelined with a hamstring injury.
The Hornets create a $9.6 million trade exception with the deal.
Hield spent less than a week with the Hornets, who acquired the veteran sharpshooter from the Atlanta Hawks for Dorian Finney-Smith. Hield, known as a positive and high-energy player, has history with Bulls executive vice president Bryson Graham from their time together in New Orleans.
Dillingham has one more year via a team option on his rookie contract before hitting restricted free agency in the summer of 2028. Hield has a player option worth around $10 million for the 2027-28 season.
