Amid the dog days of the offseason, we took a closer look at an unexpected pairing that delivered surprising results for the Chicago Bulls last season. That pairing was point guards Josh Giddey and Tre Jones.
Despite their seemingly redundant skill sets, the Bulls posted an impressive 122.1 offensive rating with both on the floor, consistently getting to the rim and bending defenses in ways few anticipated. Deploying two point guards in tandem was an unconventional approach—but one that quietly paid dividends.
Fast forward to late December, and the Giddey–Jones pairing isn’t quite as effective as it once was. The duo still carries a positive net rating (plus-2.4), but its offensive rating has dipped to 110.8.
A major shift has come in pace. Last season, the pairing operated at a deliberate 101.61 pace. This year, that number has jumped to 110.25, which ranks second among Bulls lineups with at least 100 minutes played together.
Jones and White form the Bulls’ surprising new duo
While the decline in the effectiveness of the Giddey–Jones pairing is somewhat discouraging, another Jones-led duo has emerged as a pleasant surprise, and it’s unconventional in its own right. This time, it’s Jones alongside Coby White. Among Chicago’s 44 lineups to log at least 100 minutes, the Jones–White pairing ranks first in net rating at a gaudy plus-16.7.
Moreover, the pairing ranks second in offensive rating and fifth in defensive rating among Bulls lineups to log at least 100 minutes together. Effective on both ends of the floor, the reasons behind this partnership’s success are anything but expected.
When Jones and White share the floor, Chicago is playing at a blistering pace—far removed from the slower, methodical style Giddey and Jones employed a season ago. And while last year’s two–point guard lineup emphasized ball movement to an extreme, this budding partnership ranks just 41st among the Bulls’ 44 qualifying duos in assist percentage.
Yet, despite the lack of playmaking volume, the Jones–White pairing ranks first among all Bulls lineups in both effective field goal and true shooting percentage. Both players excel at attacking downhill and making quick decisions, consistently generating quality looks across the floor.
When dissecting the duo’s shot profile, there’s no extreme tilt in any one direction. The Bulls don’t overly prioritize twos, threes, or midrange jumpers when Jones and White share the floor. Instead, the approach is balanced.
The only true standouts—underscoring their downhill, pressure-oriented mindset—are a high percentage of points coming from free throws (19.1 percent) and off turnovers (18.0 percent), both of which rank third among qualified Bulls lineups.
The Jones–White pairing shows that the Bulls don’t need to conform to conventional lineups to succeed. This budding duo embodies Billy Donovan’s style of play—and does so exceptionally well. Like the Giddey–Jones pairing, it might not make much sense on paper. Yet each player complements the other’s weaknesses with their own strengths, making this a duo that deserves significant floor time.