Whether or not they make a move (don't hold your breath), the Chicago Bulls have a few names circulating the NBA trade rumor mill. Nikola Vucevic is the most obvious suspect, but he's far from the most consequential.
That designation would go to Coby White, who the Bulls are "more open to trading ... than they've ever been."
That's the impression other teams have gotten, according to NBA insider Marc Stein via The Stein Line substack (subscription required).
White presents an intriguing conundrum for Bulls Executive VP of Basketball Operations Arturas Karnisovas, who, frankly, doesn't inspire much confidence in anyone outside the organization. But the decisions he makes -- or doesn't make -- between now and the Feb. 5 trade deadline will have a significant impact on Chicago's future.
Chicago Bulls rumored to be open to Coby White trade
Vucevic needs to be in a different uniform by Feb. 6. He's never been a good fit in the system installed last year by Billy Donovan. He's still a high-level offensive player who can stretch the floor, make the right play and score near the basket, but he's also still slow, ground-bound and offers nothing as a rim protector.
Not to mention he's 35 years old, in the final year of his contract and surely wants -- and deserves -- to play for a contender.
Kevin Huerter and Zach Collins are valuable veterans on expiring deals. Ayo Dosunmu may low-key be the Bulls' most attractive asset outside of Matas Buzelis and Josh Giddey.
But it's White who seems to be drawing the most interest. For good reason, too.
The former North Carolina standout is Chicago's most complete offensive player. Despite a rough start to this campaign, he's an accurate shooter from three on a high volume (37.0 percent last year, 7.9 attempts per game), gets to the free-throw line and converts (4.1 attempts per game last year, 90.2 percent), and is a more than adequate playmaker, as evidenced by his 4.8 assists per game over the last three seasons.
White would be a solid fit for several teams, including the Houston Rockets and Minnesota Timberwolves, who have already been linked to the 25-year-old. Unfortunately, it wouldn't be a straightforward deal to make.
As Stein points out, White is only making $12.9 million this season and will be an unrestricted free agent come summer. The Bulls won't get as much in return for him as they'd presumably hope.
Still, it's clearer than ever that Karnisovas needs to peel back the duct tape patching his mediocre roster together. (It turns out duct tape doesn't fix everything.) White isn't a logical long-term fit; the Bulls would be better off nabbing a few draft assets or a prospect or two and planning for the future.