The 2025 NBA free agency market is officially open and a few deals have already been made. It didn’t take the Chicago Bulls long to make their first free agency move.
After a recent trade sending Lonzo Ball packing to the Cleveland Cavaliers and bringing Isaac Okoro back in return, the Bulls made it a priority to bring back one of their own free agents.
According to a report from ESPN NBA insider Shams Charania, Chicago has signed guard Tre Jones to a three-year deal worth $24 million. He’ll stick around long-term after being acquired ahead of the trade deadline during the 2024-25 season.
“Free agent guard Tre Jones has agreed to a three-year, $24 million deal to return to the Chicago Bulls, sources tell ESPN,” Charania wrote. “Kevin Bradbury of LIFT Sports Management finalized the new deal with Bulls officials tonight.”
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Jones will be asked to play a key role with Ball no longer in town. He saw his role increase after being traded from the San Antonio Spurs to the Bulls last season.
During the 18 games and nine starts he received after being traded to the Bulls, Jones averaged 11.5 points, 4.9 assists, 3.2 rebounds, and 1.1 steals per game. He shot 57.2 percent from the floor and knocked down 50 percent of his three-point attempts.
Those shooting numbers should not be expected to remain that high through a full season. However, they show the kind of impact Jones is capable of making.
Last season, Chicago took a step in the right direction. Billy Donovan led his squad to a 39-43 record, which was good enough to get into the Play-In Tournament.
Unfortunately, the Bulls were unable to defeat the Miami Heat to stay alive and their season came to an end.
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It will be interesting to see what else Chicago has in store this offseason. Bringing Jones back was a clear priority, but there is still more work to do in order to be a contender in the Eastern Conference.
With the East wide open due to injuries suffered by Damian Lillard, Jayson Tatum, and Tyrese Haliburton, the Bulls could get aggressive.
Expect to hear a lot more rumors about Chicago in the coming days. The front office was able to start things off with a bang by bringing Jones back on a three-year deal.
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