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Chicago Bulls head coach Billy Donovan looks on against the Indiana Pacers.

The Chicago Bulls are 5-1 over their last six games despite a litany of injuries, particularly to their backcourt. Fortunately for the Bulls, former San Antonio Spurs guard and trade deadline acquisition Tre Jones was ready to step up.

Jones, a budding favorite of head coach Billy Donovan’s, recorded his first double-double with the Bulls, posting 18 points and 12 assists in a win over the Utah Jazz on March 17.

According to the Chicago Sun-Times’ Joe Cowley, Jones’ success is a double-edged sword.

“For Jones, this is his type of team and offense. Coming over from San Antonio, they played fast, but it wasn’t exactly smash the turbo button on the controller like it is for the Bulls. This is a style of basketball he’s played his whole life,” Cowley wrote on March 18.  “But for how long? That’s suddenly a big-picture concern that the organization has to start adding to a long list of concerns beyond this season.

“The other question would be how would the Bulls squeeze Jones in and stay under the cap? Wanting to keep him and able to keep him could become two very different scenarios.”

Jones has led the Bulls to a 5-2 mark filling in as a starter with Ayo Dosunmu, Josh Giddey, and Lonzo Ball all sidelined, averaging 15.3 points, 6.9 assists, 4.7 rebounds, and 1.3 steals. He could draw significant interest as an unrestricted free agent during the 2025 offseason.

Jones has started 132 of his 295 career appearances.

Tre Jones Praises Teammates Amid Surge

For now, Jones is focused on this season and helping the Bulls win as many games as possible with the playoff rapidly approaching.

“My teammates are playing well,” Jones said, per NBA.com’s Sam Smith on March 18. “That’s what’s working for me. I go off of them, just trying to do everything I can to help this team win. We’re winning right now, so we’ve got to keep this thing going.”

Jones specifically lauded Coby White, the Eastern Conference Player of the Week.

White has scored 20-plus points in nine straight games entering play on March 19. He has averaged a 28.4/5.1/3.9 line with Jones as his starting backcourt mate.

“Much better playing alongside (Coby White) than against him for sure,” Jones said, per Smith. “He plays the right way; he plays winning basketball. He’s unselfish and we’ve got to push him even more to shoot the ball. It’s been amazing playing alongside Coby.”

Bulls’ Logjam Could Push Tre Jones Out of Chicago

The Bulls’ decision on Jones could come down to the numbers game with their plethora of guards, one of whom will join Jones in free agency if his situation is not addressed.

“Giddey is due a large payday with an extension, Coby White and Dosunmu are signed through next season, and Ball was extended for two more years (the second year is a team option),” Cowley wrote. “Not just a logjam of guards, but ball-handlers.”

Giddey is expected to seek $30 million annually on his next contract.

“Cap space possible, but non-taxpayer mid-level exception is much more likely,” HoopsHype’s Mark Deeks wrote in February.

“Giddey will enter restricted free agency with a $25,057,101 cap hold that wipes out any space under the $154 million salary cap; the only way to get that space back is to renounce Giddey’s rights, essentially making him unre-signable.”

“They did not trade Alex Caruso for him, then watch him turn into a Reggie Miller-esque shooter out of nowhere, just to then let him walk, so this will not happen,” Deeks wrote. “Since it will not, the Bulls will essentially enter this summer with a full non-taxpayer mid-level exception, and need to hit another Caruso-like home run with it.”

Whether the Bulls view Jones as worth a potential $13.5 million price tag remains unclear.