Charlotte Hornets and Chicago Bulls. Image via: NBA
It gives Hield his seventh NBA stop entering his 11th season, and it hands Charlotte a 21-year-old guard it hopes can eventually replace some of what LaMelo Ball provides. The Bulls shipped him out for Hield, a 33-year-old shooting guard who spent last season bouncing between Golden State and Atlanta. He’s a career 39.5 percent three-point shooter on 7.3 attempts a game, numbers that dwarf Dillingham’s 32.4 percent clip on fewer than two attempts per outing across his two seasons in the league.
The Bulls agreed to send Rob Dillingham to the Hornets in exchange for Hield and cash considerations, according to ESPN’s Shams Charania, marking Dillingham’s third team since February. Charania reported the move also creates breathing room for Charlotte, noting the deal gives the Hornets “cash to make up for a good chunk of the difference” in salaries while opening a $9.6 million trade exception. Buddy Hield is already looking for a new locker before his season even started in Charlotte. Chicago’s new front office, led by Bryson Graham, made the move just weeks before training camp opens. His time there ended fast. Hield brings something Chicago badly needed, outside shooting. Bryson Graham has history here too. He helped engineer a Hield trade once before while working in Atlanta’s front office, so this swap tracks with a pattern he already knows. Chicago picks up a rotation shooter to pair with Josh Giddey, Norman Powell and rookie Caleb Wilson, players who could use his spacing as they push for more competitive basketball under new coach Tiago Splitter.
Rob Dillingham arrived in Chicago earlier this year as part of the deal that sent Ayo Dosunmu to Minnesota.
What the trade means for both rosters
Dillingham was the eighth pick in the 2024 draft out of Kentucky, and the Hornets are betting his speed and ball-handling can round out a backcourt built around Coby White and Dennis Schroder. He struggled shooting the ball in Chicago, hitting under 43 percent from the field while adjusting to a demanding market, but he’s still just 21, and he has ties to the region as a Hickory, North Carolina native. Charlotte is still hunting its first playoff trip since 2016, while Chicago is mid-rebuild under Graham. Stay updated with the latest Asian Games 2026 news , check the Asian Games medal tally and complete Asian Games schedule .
For Charlotte, this is about talent over immediate fit. Join conversation Share your thoughts in the comments Be respectful · TOI community guidelines Neither club figures to contend in the East this season. Both sides walk away with pieces that fit where they’re headed, Hield giving the Bulls a shooter who can help now, and Dillingham giving the Hornets a young guard with time to develop behind an improving core. Get the latest Sports News and Live updates. Download the TOI app.