Over the last week, the Chicago Bulls have lost to the lowly Indiana Pacers, narrowly fell to the Miami Heat, beat the Heat by seven, lost to Miami by 43, and even facilitated a trade between the Cleveland Cavaliers and Sacramento Kings, netting two future second-round picks along the way.
In the meantime, a slew of Bulls have missed time; Ayo Dosunmu stepped up, averaging 20.3 points, while Coby White put up 16.8 points per game but struggled with efficiency, shooting just 36.5 percent from the field. Off the court, Chicago also waived Jevon Carter to make room for Dario Šarić, who arrived via Sacramento in the three-team deal.
Bulls' chaotic week raises questions
A lot has happened, but the past week has only complicated matters ahead of the February 5 trade deadline. The Bulls’ uneven stretch, including three losses in five days, would typically lump them in with the sellers. Yet Chicago’s involvement in a recent three-team deal hints that this team is operating more like a buyer. Dosunmu’s strong play has only boosted his trade value, even as the Bulls have reportedly remained intent on keeping the Chicago native. Meanwhile, White has struggled at an inopportune time, just as he appeared to be the player Chicago was most willing to move.
Again, that’s a lot to digest, and there’s plenty to unpack, starting with Chicago’s uneven stretch of play. Prior to this past week, the prevailing sentiment was that the Bulls’ front office had been encouraged by the team’s recent performance, pushing Chicago more toward the buyer category ahead of the deadline. After all, the Bulls had just rattled off four straight wins, including victories over the Los Angeles Clippers, Minnesota Timberwolves, and Boston Celtics.
Still, regardless of the winning streak, the Bulls knew this upcoming stretch would ultimately determine whether they bought or sold at the deadline. And even after stumbling, Chicago still participated in a trade solely to acquire draft capital—a move that leans more toward buying than selling. Those additional picks could be used as currency in a follow-up deal, should the right opportunity present itself.
So, were those extra draft picks acquired as part of a larger plan? That won’t be known for some time, but it very well could be the driving force behind the trade.
Dosunmu shines, White struggles
Moreover, among the Bulls’ trade candidates, Dosunmu has looked like a player Chicago can’t afford to let go. He’s averaged 20.3 points over his last four games, but for the month as a whole, he's posted 17.4 points while shooting 55.4 percent from the field and 50.0 percent from three on 4.8 attempts per game. Beyond the numbers, his downhill attacking style has been a major boost for Chicago, and it feels as though there’s still more to unlock in his game.
However, Dosunmu’s strong play hasn’t gone unnoticed beyond Chicago. Rival teams have surely reached out about the 26-year-old guard, whose versatility and potentially affordable next contract make him an attractive target. With Dosunmu on an expiring deal, the real quagmire becomes whether the Bulls should capitalize on his peak value or commit to him as their future starting shooting guard. That question has only been further muddied over the past week.
The exact opposite holds for Dosunmu’s backcourt mate, White. White was seemingly finding his footing in January after returning from a brief calf-related absence at the start of the year. But in a loss to Indiana, he managed just 14 points on 5-of-15 shooting. He followed that with another 14-point outing, this time going 2-of-11 from the field. White missed Chicago’s next game (a win) and returned in their 43-point blowout loss, scoring 16 on 4-of-13 shooting and going 0-of-6 from three.
White’s recent struggles come after he was widely viewed as Chicago’s top trade candidate. Several subpar outings, combined with his uncertain future contract situation, have led to a decline in his trade value. That raises the question: should the Bulls try to move White at any cost, or aim to re-sign him to a potentially more reasonable deal now that suitors appear to be scarce?
Another question from this past week has no immediate answer, and there are plenty of them. With only three days until the February 5 trade deadline and just one game in between, time is running out. There’s no telling what the Bulls will do, but if anything, this week has made their decisions even more complicated.