Buddy Hield traded to Chicago Bulls from Hornets in exchange for Rob Dillingham

Buddy Hield has been traded again: the Charlotte Hornets sent him, along with cash, to the Chicago Bulls in exchange for young guard Rob Dillingham. The move comes just days after a previous trade that brought Hield to the Hornets from the Atlanta Hawks, as Bleacher Report reports.

The earlier deal between the Hawks and the Hornets involved Hield, Ryan Nembhard and cash in exchange for Dorian Finney-Smith, according to the report. Hield split last season between the Golden State Warriors and the Hawks and has one season left on his contract with a cap hit of around $9.7 million, plus a $10 million player option for 2027-28, according to Spotrac.

Analysts explained that Hield could move twice within a week because the first deal from the Hawks to the Hornets did not aggregate his salary with another player’s, allowing a further trade, according to Bobby Marks of ESPN. After the swap, the Bulls are expected to cross the salary cap but stay more than $34 million below the luxury tax line; the Hornets, meanwhile, are expected to remain about $25.6 million below the same threshold, according to various analyses. Dillingham is expected to play this season with a cap hit of around $6.9 million, while the Hornets hold a club option of over $8.8 million to be decided by 31 October, and the team must also trim its roster to the 15-player limit by 19 October.

The Bulls gain an experienced player with off-ball scoring ability, while the Hornets hope Dillingham benefits from a new environment to improve his performances. With administrative deadlines and salary calculations looming, the sides continue talks to finalize roster and financial details; according to Bleacher Report, this series of moves reflects the complex burden of contract management in today’s NBA market.