Chicago Bulls: Grading the 2019 offseason moves
Coby White (7th Overall)
Coby White certainly fills a need at the point guard position, and was very arguably the best player on the board when Chicago was set to pick. White was an extremely popular pick among Bulls fans and was something that was expected to happen for most of the summer. White is even widely considered a top contender for the NBA’s Rookie of the Year award, further exemplifying the North Carolina product’s promise.
His 6-foot-5 frame provides the Bulls with a very tall lineup, which has found success of late in franchises such as Milwaukee and Philadelphia. White’s greatest gift is his lightning-quick speed, as he is able to run the floor and get to the basket in a heartbeat.
White also has a solid three-point shot, although he failed to shoot it well in the Summer League. As a professional, White will need to look to improve on his passing and efficiency as a scorer, but there is no reason why he would not be able to do both.
Although White is likely to have a very good NBA career, I do not think that he is going to be a franchise-changing player for the Bulls. Chicago is at the point now where they have a very solid group of young talent to work with for years, but they are missing a superstar, game-changing piece. In passing on Cam Reddish at seven, Jon Paxson may have dodged a bullet on a major bust, but he also could have passed on a future superstar.
Although I think White will be a very solid starting point guard for Chicago going forward, this does not change the fact that the Bulls probably should have taken a swing at the fences in the draft, even if they missed.