2. Coby White
Recent reports have been quite vocal now about Chicago’s intention to package Coby White with the #18 pick to potentially move up in the draft. This makes a lot of sense considering Coby’s impending free agency and the fact the Bulls will want to maximize the best draft pick they’ll likely have for the next 5 years.
There’s simply too much guard talent on this Bulls roster to justify not at least attempting to balance the rotation. This is especially true considering the massive holes the Bulls have in their frontcourt depth. Swinging a trade for a player that could bolster the team’s interior defense may be the best for everyone involved.
However, the Bulls don’t necessarily need to look to the trade market to ‘replace’ Coby. If we can assume he’ll move on after the 2022-23 season anyways, there’s a wealth of guard talent in Chicago’s draft range of the 18th pick.
A player like Malaki Branham, Ochai Agbaji, or TyTy Washington could radically change the Bulls’ future outlook. It’s hard to say how any of these players would fit into the rotation immediately, but the same could be said for Coby as well.
With how quickly the NBA’s landscape shifts, it might make sense for the Bulls to draft the best player available regardless of fit. We’ve seen teams make championship leaps by developing young talent and simply being prepared for the moment a Kawhi Leonard, Anthony Davis, or James Harden-type player becomes available.
Considering we’re already hearing whispers of the uncertainty of Kevin Durant’s future, the Bulls may simply draft another skilled guard and wait for their opportunity to strike.