Chicago native, NBA champion, returns home to compete for Bulls' roster spot

After five seasons in the NBA’s Western Conference, one of Chicago’s native sons is returning home.

Wednesday night, insider Shams Charania announced that the Chicago Bulls had reached an agreement on a partially guaranteed deal with free agent guard Talen Horton-Tucker.

Horton-Tucker, 23, spent the last two seasons with the Utah Jazz, where he averaged 10.5 points, 2.3 rebounds, and 3.5 assists per game. He started 31 of 116 games in Utah but his prospects for minutes were shaky in the Jazz’s loaded backcourt.

With the Bulls, Horton-Tucker will compete for a spot in the rotation behind starters Zach LaVine and Coby White. Chicago also has the newly acquired Josh Giddey, Ayo Dosunmo, and possibly Lonzo Ball.

Before his stint with the Jazz, he was a member of the Los Angeles Lakers, winning a championship with L.A. as a rookie in 2020.

For his career, Horton-Tucker has posted averages of 9.8 points, 2.8 rebounds, 3.1 assists, and 0.9 steals over 247 games.

As a high schooler, Horton-Tucker starred for Simeon Career Academy on the city’s Southside. While at Simeon he led the program to back-to-back-to-back City Championships. If he makes the roster Horton-Tucker would be the third Chicago native on the Bulls, joining forward Matas Buzelis and Dosunmu.

He would also be the latest Simeon product to play for the Bulls, adding to a list that includes former league MVP Derrick Rose and Jabari Parker.

The singing of Talen Horton-Tucker brings the Bulls’ roster count to the maximum of 20 players, with 14 guaranteed contracts.

Chicago will open its training camp on October 3.

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