Chicago Bulls preseason trades involving Coby White: Give Jarrett Culver a second chance
Of the three proposed trades here for the Bulls, specifically involving Coby, this one might be the least popular among this fan base. But it is also one that could help the Bulls over the long-term more so than the other two.
In this trade deal, we propose the Bulls ship off White to the Memphis Grizzlies. In return, the Bulls get the former star Texas Tech Red Raiders shooting guard/wing Jarrett Culver and a 2022 second-round draft pick. This could be a move that helps the Bulls get a wing in a way that is medium risk, high reward for this team.
Culver is a former sixth overall pick of the Minnesota Timberwolves from the 2019 NBA Draft. He never found traction in his two seasons in Minnesota before he landed with the Grizzlies this offseason. There were certain areas of Culver’s game where he made strides last season, including improvement on the boards and minimizing bad turnovers.
Yet, Culver also took a sizable step back in other regards, including his shooting from the field and beyond the arc and his defensive stats. Culver might be able to find his shooting stroke and improve his defense with a better supporting cast and a more open system in general than he had with the Timberwolves.
Getting a young wing that has a lot of untapped potential left in Culver, and some future draft capital back in a potential early second round pick from the Grizzlies, could be worth it for the Bulls. This still largely hinges on how the Bulls’ front office values White once the trade moratorium lifts in a couple of months.