Veteran guard Kevin Huerter hopes to stay with Bulls beyond this season
Since joining the Bulls before last season’s trade deadline, veteran guard Kevin Huerter has become a standout performer in plus/minus statistics. The 27-year-old, now on his third team in five years, feels he may have finally found a long-term place in Chicago.
Huerter arrived in a three-team trade that sent Zach LaVine to the Kings last February. His impact since joining has been significant, both statistically and in the locker room atmosphere.
Finding his rhythm in Chicago
Head coach Billy Donovan frequently praises Huerter’s on-court presence and leadership. Yet his future with the team remains uncertain, as he will become a free agent at season’s end. The Bulls face several key contract expirations, including those of Coby White and Nikola Vucevic, which could complicate roster decisions.
“I just want to be a part of winning basketball at this point of my career,” Huerter said Friday.
He credited Donovan’s consistent message since the trade, recalling their early conversations after LaVine’s departure.
“Whether fans have liked it or not, Billy has preached that since I got here. Even when that trade happened, he said, ‘I know who left the building. Are we going to be a team that folds, or are we going to try and make a push to the playoffs?’”
Building toward the playoffs
Huerter emphasized that from the moment he joined the Bulls, the team’s mindset hasn’t been about regression but about pushing forward. His focus remains on helping the group compete for postseason basketball and sustaining the energy that’s kept them moving in the right direction.
Author’s summary: Kevin Huerter hopes his growing role and chemistry with the Bulls will lead to a longer stay in Chicago as he enters the prime of his NBA career.