The Chicago Bulls and Charlotte Hornets completed an intriguing trade that has the NBA world talking. The Bulls received volume three-point shooter Buddy Hield and cash while the Hornets netted recent Bulls pickup, guard Rob Dillingham, in a move that will save coach Charles Lee's team $3 million in cap space.

For the Bulls, the trade gives new head coach Tiago Splitter's team a sorely-needed outside shooter to pair with rookie phenom Caleb Wilson and third-year forward Matas Buzelis that could change the team's outlook heading into the 2026-27 season. The Hornets got younger and also received a former first round pick out of Kentucky who could blossom into a key contributor in the coming months and years.

While neither team is likely to contend for the Eastern Conference crown this coming season, both did a great job in giving themselves options heading into the 2026-27 based on their current situations, and deserve high marks for the deal.

Chicago Bulls' grade: A

The Bulls received Hield and cash in the deal and now have a solid backup guard who can take scoring pressure off of Josh Giddey, Norman Powell, Wilson and Buzelis. Chicago drafted Wilson and Derrick Rose fan Dailyn Swain this offseason, both of whom need to work on their three-point shooting.

Hield is a 33-year-old shooting guard who took a step backward last season in tough situations with the Golden State Warriors and Atlanta Hawks. Hield's NBA body of work gives coach Splitter and his staff hope for a 2026-27 rebound as he has averaged 14.5 points per game, four rebounds and 2.4 assists throughout his career in 765 regular season games.

Hield will now have the opportunity to play with a talented pass-first point guard, Giddey, and an opportunity to rediscover lost aspects of his game alongside Powell, a similarly talented three-and-D player who thrived last year with the Miami Heat.

The Bulls' depth chart suddenly looks a lot deeper thanks to Hield, who looks like a perfect fit for a team that should be more competitive this season with the former first-round pick coming off the bench.

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Charlotte Hornets' grade: A

The Hornets have become NBA purgatory with zero playoff appearances since 2015-2016. Charlotte's front office made a good move to add Dillingham based on his potential and the cap space the move opens up. Dillingham was selected with the eighth pick in the 2024 NBA Draft out of Kentucky and looks like a good understudy for Coby White and Dennis Schroder to team up with in Charlotte.

His speed, change-of-direction skills and positive attitude will fit well on a Hornets team that hopes to surpass last season's 44-38 record. Dillingham is a polarizing player with limited shooting skills that need major refinement, but he has ties to the area and now has the opportunity for a homecoming.

Dillingham averaged 9.6 points per game with the Bulls last season but shot under 43% from the field as he worked hard to acclimate himself to a demanding fan base in the Windy City. The Hickory, North Carolina native is still 21 years old and has plenty of time to learn and grow on Charles Lee's Hornets team.

After years of wandering around in the NBA wilderness, the Hornets have a team worth watching again, and Lee is a big part of it after leading Charlotte to a historic 25-win improvement last season. Dillingham likely won't crack the starting lineup, but he can be a solid rotation player who will team well with Kon Knueppel, Brandon Miller, Naz Reid, and the rest of Charlotte's exciting core going forward this upcoming season.

The Bulls and Hornets' front offices deserve to be commended for this deal, and are looking like exciting teams with the season just weeks away.