Chicago Bulls trade both 2nd-round picks in 2026 NBA Draft; reportedly acquire Pacers' Kam Jones
Night 2 of the 2026 NBA Draft consisted of trades of second-round picks by the Chicago Bulls.
The Bulls, now led by Executive Vice President Bryson Graham and new head coach Tiago Splitter, reportedly made two trades in the second round of the draft just before it began on Wednesday night.
The team traded point guard Braden Smith at No. 38 to the Indiana Pacers for guard Kam Jones, who was the No. 38 pick in the 2025 draft. They also sent the No. 56 pick to the Los Angeles Lakers for cash.
The move comes after the Bulls acquired Caleb Wilson at No. 4 and Dailyn Swain at No. 15 during night one of the draft.
With a 31-51 record last season and missing the playoffs for the fourth straight year, Graham has described the Bulls as being "at the ground floor. He noted that Wilson and Swain's development will be a major factor in the direction and timeline of the team's future.
Northwestern's Nick Martinell selected by L.A. Clippers
Another Chicago-area college player will be making their way into the league.
The Wildcat's forward Nick Martinelli was selected with the No. 55 overall pick by the Los Angeles Clippers.
Martinelli led the Big Ten in scoring for the second year in a row, averaging 23.0 points, 6.2 rebounds, and 2.0 assists per game. He registered a 51% field goal percentage, 41.7% 3-point percentage, and an 80.9% free throw percentage.
He has become the second Wildcat draft selection in the past two seasons, joining Brooks Barnhizer, who went 44th overall to the Oklahoma City Thunder last year.
