After being removed from the rotation late last season, Jalen Smith of the Chicago Bulls responded by dedicating himself to improvement over the offseason, a move that has clearly paid off, according to Joe Cowley of The Chicago Sun-Times.
The 25-year-old now owns the strongest on/off impact numbers on the roster during the 2025/26 campaign, underscoring how effective the team has been when he’s on the floor.
Nikola Vucevic praised Smith’s versatility and physical presence, noting how seamlessly he’s fit into multiple roles.
“He’s been great for us honestly,” Vucevic said. “Playing the four, playing at the five, different situations, different positions. He’s done a great job for us protecting the paint, rebounding the ball as well, bringing us some physicality.”
Montenegrin big man added that their time together in bigger lineups has been particularly effective.
“I’ve enjoyed being out on the court with him. I think our two-big lineup helps us, and I think we have good chemistry,” he said. “Yeah, he’s been doing a lot for us. When ‘Stix’ plays that way and he’s aggressive it makes us a much better team.”
Smith has played 6 seasons for the Pacers, Bulls, and Suns. He has averaged 8.6 points and 5.4 rebounds in 305 regular-season games.
Coach Billy Donovan explains why he sat Matas Buzelis for the entire fourth quarter on Wednesday, plus more on the Bulls. https://t.co/y6YiMg1Myp
— Hoops Rumors (@HoopsRumors) January 18, 2026
