NBA · Live Wire
Hornets swap Buddy Hield for Rob Dillingham in Bulls deal
Charlotte have acquired the 21-year-old guard from Chicago, sending Buddy Hield and cash the other way as training camps approach.
Lead
The Charlotte Hornets have acquired guard Rob Dillingham from the Chicago Bulls, sending guard Buddy Hield and cash considerations to Chicago in a trade reported on 26 September. Source Source Source The deal gives Charlotte a 21-year-old former eighth overall draft pick on a rookie contract and moves on Hield shortly after the Hornets had acquired him from Atlanta. Source Source
What happened
ESPN’s Shams Charania reported that Chicago would send Dillingham to Charlotte for Hield and cash, with CBS Sports and Hoops Rumors also detailing the exchange. Source Source Source Dillingham was selected eighth overall in the 2024 NBA Draft and has a team option for the season after his current rookie deal. Source In 30 games for the Bulls in 2025-26, he averaged 9.6 points and 2.8 assists per game. Source Source
The Hornets had acquired Hield from the Atlanta Hawks earlier in the week, making this his second trade in a matter of days. Source Source Hield is due approximately US$9.7 million in 2026-27, while Dillingham is owed around US$6.9 million under his rookie contract. Source Chicago receive cash as part of the transaction to help account for the salary difference between the two players. Source Source Source
Why it matters
For Charlotte, the move exchanges a 33-year-old veteran with shooting experience for a younger guard still under rookie-scale control. Source Dillingham’s age, draft pedigree and recent Bulls production give the Hornets another guard option as they reshape their group after trading LaMelo Ball to Minnesota earlier in the offseason. Source Source The timing is particularly significant because the trade arrives immediately before NBA training camps and pre-season activity begin. Source
The transaction is also expected to create a trade exception for Charlotte worth approximately US$9.4 million to US$9.6 million. Source Source That exception is a material part of the reported structure alongside the players and cash changing hands. Source Source Source Charlotte will still need to address its overall roster numbers: it currently holds contracts for 18 players and must get down to the NBA’s 15-player regular-season maximum. Source
What’s next
Training camp and pre-season will provide Charlotte’s first opportunity to integrate Dillingham after the trade. Source The Hornets must also make at least three roster reductions before the regular season if their current total of 18 contracted players remains unchanged. Source Chicago, meanwhile, add Hield and cash in the deal after agreeing to part with Dillingham. Source Source Source
Notes
The reports supplied set the value of Charlotte’s new trade exception within a range rather than at one final figure. Source Source They also identify the broad terms of the deal but do not specify any subsequent Charlotte roster moves. Source Source Source Dillingham’s eventual role and minutes will therefore remain unresolved until the Hornets begin their pre-season work. Source
Key facts
5 data points- Dillingham’s 2025-26 production
- 9.6 points and 2.8 assists per game in 30 Bulls appearances
- Source: CBS Sports
