A busy Chicago Bulls’ offseason saw DeMar DeRozan and Alex Caruso traded out of town, signaling the closing of an era. Zach LaVine and Nikola Vucevic remain on the roster for now, though the Bulls have reportedly shopped the veterans in trade talks. Adding Josh Giddey and Matas Buzelis to the mix ushers in a younger core in hopes of a new contention window, but it likely won’t open for another 2-3 years at the earliest.
So where does Coby White fit into the Bulls’ plans? White enjoyed a breakout 2023-24 campaign and stepped up as a leader by example when LaVine went down with a season-ending injury. The 24-year-old guard is signed to a team-friendly deal that will pay him just over $12 million annually for the next two years.
Sure, a healthy LaVine, Vucevic, and White playing together could keep the Bulls in contention for another NBA Play-In Tournament opportunity. But if the Bulls aspire to surpass that familiar mark of mediocrity in the near future, further roster maneuvering is required.
Should the Bulls Trade Coby White?
The math shows that Coby White will need a new contract by the time the Bulls are ready to compete again. After his ascension from a swing player off the bench to a bona fide starter, White deserves to be on a contending team now.
Trading White would net the Bulls some future talent in return, whether it’s in the form of draft picks or a younger player coming over from a loaded championship contender. The sooner the Bulls can add younger players to develop into a new core, the better.
An even savvier move would be tying White to a trade that involves offloading Zach LaVine or Nikola Vucevic. This would increase Chicago’s return, clear salary cap space, and help the Bulls tank for better chances at a higher draft pick.
The Bulls are still reeling from trading a 2025 first-round selection to the San Antonio Spurs in the deal that brought DeMar DeRozan to Chicago. The pick is top-10 protected, so finishing in the middle of the pack yet again this upcoming season would cause the Bulls to miss out on one of the hottest draft classes in years, headlined by Cooper Flagg. Shipping White and LaVine or Vucevic out of town would increase their chances of retaining the selection and acquiring additional picks.
If the Bulls don’t consider trading Coby White, they’ll only prolong their stay in NBA purgatory.
