Knicks Acquire Dalen Terry From Bulls In Trade For Guerschon Yabusele

The NBA trade deadline always brings its share of surprises, but few expected the Chicago Bulls and New York Knicks to swap two players whose careers have taken such divergent paths. On February 4, 2026, ESPN’s Shams Charania broke the news that the Bulls had traded 23-year-old guard Dalen Terry to the Knicks in exchange for veteran power forward Guerschon Yabusele. While the move may seem lateral at first glance, both franchises are hoping this fresh start will unlock untapped potential and address pressing roster needs as the playoff race intensifies.

For Dalen Terry, the trade represents a crucial crossroads. Once a promising prospect out of Arizona, Terry was selected 18th overall in the 2022 NBA Draft by Chicago. Over his three-plus seasons with the Bulls, he appeared in 204 games—starting just seven—and averaged 3.5 points and 1.7 rebounds per game. This season, he’s played in 34 games, logging 3.5 points, 1.9 rebounds, and 1.3 assists in 11.1 minutes per contest. His shooting has shown improvement, with a career-best 41.3 percent from three-point range on 46 attempts and 44.1 percent overall from the field.

Despite these modest numbers, Terry’s recent uptick in playing time hinted at a possible breakthrough. With the Bulls’ backcourt plagued by injuries, he averaged 22 minutes per game over his final four appearances, boosting his stats to 7.8 points, 4.0 rebounds, 3.3 assists, 1.0 steals, and 0.8 blocks. "The human in me would say it’s tough, but you just have to understand that this is what you get called upon for, so I’m just doing my best to try to stay ready every time I get a chance to play, and I think I’ve done a pretty good job of that," Terry told Joe Cowley of The Chicago Sun-Times.

Yet, with his rookie contract expiring after this season, the Bulls’ front office opted to move on. Their recent flurry of trades—including sending Nikola Vucevic to the Celtics and swapping Coby White and Mike Conley for Collin Sexton and Ousmane Dieng—signaled a pivot toward financial flexibility and asset accumulation. The acquisition of Yabusele, who has a $5.8 million player option for 2026-27, stands in stark contrast to that strategy. As one analyst noted, "This trade is in direct contradiction to all of that. Guerschon Yabusele currently has a $5.8 million player option for the 2026-27 campaign, while Dalen Terry was headed for restricted free agency. In other words, this is the first transaction where the Bulls have decided to add future money, and they did so for a player who recently entered his 30s and has had a remarkably underwhelming season."

Yabusele’s journey back to the NBA has been anything but conventional. Drafted 16th overall by the Boston Celtics in 2016, the French forward initially stayed overseas before joining Boston for two seasons. After his NBA stint fizzled, Yabusele built a reputation abroad, starring for Real Madrid and helping Team France secure a silver medal at the 2024 Summer Olympics. His Olympic performance reignited NBA interest, leading to a one-year deal with the Philadelphia 76ers for the 2024-25 season. There, he impressed with averages of 11.0 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 2.1 assists in 27.1 minutes across 70 games.

That resurgence earned Yabusele a two-year, $11.7 million contract with the Knicks. Unfortunately, his tenure in New York has been underwhelming. He’s appeared in 41 games, averaging just 2.7 points and 2.1 rebounds in 8.9 minutes per game, shooting 39.3 percent from the field and 29.4 percent from deep. Yabusele’s diminished role reflected the Knicks’ frontcourt depth and head coach Mike Brown’s tightening rotation. Still, the Bulls see value in the 6-foot-7 forward, hoping he can recapture his Philadelphia form and provide much-needed size and experience to a squad that had been stockpiling guards.

For the Knicks, the arrival of Terry couldn’t come at a more opportune time. New York is tied for second place in the Eastern Conference, but injuries to shooting guards Josh Hart and Miles McBride have left the backcourt thin. Terry figures to compete for minutes off the bench alongside Landry Shamet, Jordan Clarkson, and Mohamed Diawara. His athleticism, defensive energy, and improved shooting could help the Knicks maintain their momentum as the regular season winds down. With the playoffs on the horizon, the team is betting that a change of scenery will unlock the consistency Terry struggled to find in Chicago.

From a financial perspective, the trade gives the Knicks some relief. By moving Yabusele’s contract, they avoid the risk of his player option next season. Terry, meanwhile, is on an expiring deal, which could free up cap space for New York in the offseason. As front offices across the league maneuver for flexibility ahead of the 2026-27 campaign, such considerations are never far from the surface.

On the Bulls’ side, the move has sparked debate among fans and analysts. While some see Yabusele as a stopgap solution to frontcourt depth issues, others question the wisdom of taking on future salary for a player whose best NBA days may be behind him. "The only explanation is that [Bulls GM] Karnisovas sees a path toward legitimate playing time for Yabusele moving forward – playing time that will be taken away from a possibly younger asset. And, well, that is perplexing," wrote one Chicago columnist. The Bulls’ recent transactions had prioritized youth, draft picks, and expiring contracts, making this trade a notable departure.

As for the players themselves, both face pivotal stretches in their careers. Terry, still just 23, has flashed intriguing potential but needs to prove he can contribute consistently on a playoff-caliber roster. Yabusele, now 30, must show he can recapture the form that made him a valuable contributor in Philadelphia and on the international stage. For the Bulls, unlocking that version of Yabusele could provide a boost in the paint and potentially increase his trade value down the line.

Meanwhile, the Knicks are hoping Terry’s defensive versatility and hustle can help them weather the injury storm and solidify their playoff position. As the NBA trade deadline passes and teams gear up for the stretch run, all eyes will be on how these two players adapt to their new environments and whether this unexpected swap can help their teams achieve their postseason ambitions.

With the Eastern Conference standings tightening and both clubs seeking to maximize their rosters, the Terry-Yabusele trade is more than just a minor shuffle. It’s a calculated gamble by two organizations with very different timelines and priorities, and it adds another layer of intrigue to an already dramatic NBA season.