Tracking what the Chicago Bulls will do ahead of the trade deadline feels impossible, even for a diehard following every rumor. Reports suggest they’re leaning toward buying, but the next few games could shift that thinking. With seven expiring contracts on the roster, shouldn’t they be sellers? Well… It’s still Artūras Karnišovas in charge, so standing pat is always an option.
Bulls’ buy-or-sell dilemma
Nevertheless, a few things will be clear once the trade deadline passes. We’ll know more about what the Bulls plan to do with their most pressing expiring contracts—Ayo Dosunmu and Coby White.
If either Dosunmu or White is traded, it will reveal who the Bulls prioritize for the long term. Sending Dosunmu away would make signing White to a substantial contract this offseason all but inevitable, and the reverse would also hold true.
If Chicago instead looks to acquire talent while holding onto both Dosunmu and White, it could signal that Karnišovas truly believes in this roster, making both players likely to be re-signed as the Bulls go all in. Still, that scenario seems unlikely, given that most trade-market options aren’t particularly appealing… aside from the big names, of course.
Lastly, the stand-pat option exists, and through a pessimistic lens, it feels plausible. If neither Dosunmu nor White is traded, all bets are off. Chicago could re-sign both, keep one, or let both walk.
Giddey’s extension set the long-term guard plan
No matter what happens by the trade deadline, it seems likely that Chicago will keep either Dosunmu or White, not both, long-term. That decision was arguably made months ago, when the Bulls re-signed Josh Giddey to a four-year, $100 million deal in September.
Chicago made a sizable investment in Giddey, effectively anointing him the point guard of the future. While Giddey and White can coexist (as we’ve seen for the past one-and-a-half seasons), it’s not necessarily the ideal pairing. Both players’ offenses outshine their defense. Of the 245 players to log at least 600 minutes this season, Giddey ranks 147th in CraftedNBA’s comprehensive defensive metric, while White checks in at 238th.
Lumping both into a “poor defender” category based on a single metric would be presumptive, but neither impresses in traditional defensive stats. They don’t pass the eye test, and together have contributed only one truly impactful defensive season for their teams (Giddey’s rookie year).
Backcourt talent needs defensive support
Chicago’s backcourt is somewhat reminiscent of the Dallas Mavericks’ past duo of Jalen Brunson and Luka Doncic. Supremely talented, but still in need of strong defenders to succeed. Even when Dallas acquired Kyrie Irving following Brunson's departure, the team still required quality defenders around its dynamic guards. The takeaway for Chicago is clear: the Bulls would always need a defender like Isaac Okoro and invest in their frontcourt like the Cleveland Cavaliers have with Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen.
That said, Giddey and White aren’t Brunson and Doncic or even Darius Garland and Donovan Mitchell, meaning the Bulls have little incentive to invest heavily in a defensive-minded frontcourt just to complement their backcourt.
Instead, Dosunmu is a safer long-term fit alongside Giddey. He’s not as dynamic offensively as White, but he’s a stronger defender and doesn’t need a high usage rate to impact the game. Supporting that, NBA insider Jake Fischer reported that the Bulls view Dosunmu as a key complementary piece in the backcourt with Giddey.
Fischer explicitly stated, "… it's getting harder and harder to see Bulls committing that level of salary to a second ballhandler after last fall's four-year, $100 rookie scale extension with Josh Giddey."
Ultimately, the decision will come in the next few days or this offseason, but Chicago essentially set White’s future nearly six months ago by committing to Giddey. Both players can coexist, but long-term, they’re not the ideal duo to build around, especially at a combined $50 million-plus per season.