The Chicago Bulls have been an exciting team in preseason action so far, receiving promising contributions from many different players. Notably absent from that action has been Coby White, the team's leading scorer last season, who has missed training camp and the preseason with a calf strain.
Based on the Bulls' results on the court without him so far, they have players who can pick up his slack while he inches closer to a return.
Coby White could find himself out of Chicago soon
White is entering an all-important year in his NBA career. He's in the last year of his current contract and will become an unrestricted free agent next summer. White is searching for a substantial deal for multiple seasons with an average annual salary north of $30 million.
His play and importance to Chicago this season will determine the market for his next contract. Whether it's the Bulls or another team, no one will be willing to pay him that sort of money if he's proven to be expendable on a team like the Bulls.
Unfortunately for White, the Bulls seem to have found a potential usurper to his role as the primary scorer on the team. Rising sophomore Matas Buzelis has been incredible so far in the preseason and shown clear improvement as a scorer. He's up to 16 points per game in just 20 minutes per game while shooting 55 percent from the field and 38 percent from three on five attempts per game.
Buzelis entered training camp with an ambitious mindset to improve in every facet of his game, and so far, he has shown just that. His current trajectory seems much more likely to result in stardom than White's, and the Bulls may opt to save cap space for building the team as Buzelis matures rather than paying White a fortune.
It's also true that White can help Buzelis' progression if he plays the right role. White was a dangerous shooter last season, and worked on his off-ball game this summer. Spacing the floor effectively for Buzelis and Josh Giddey would prove White's value in the team's offense and potentially get him the deal that he wants.
At the same time, the Bulls may have found a cheaper shooting guard who can also be a catalyst for Buzelis' growth. Ayo Dosunmu has returned with a vengeance in the preseason after undergoing season-ending shoulder surgery in March. He's looked very healthy on his way to averaging 17 points on 60 percent shooting from the field and 44 percent from three so far.
Dosunmu is undoubtedly less talented than White, but he will be cheaper to re-sign and could be a better fit on the team at his best. Dosunmu is the better defender and is also a strong off-ball player able to balance cuts to the rim and spotting up for three. If the Bulls choose to prioritize Dosunmu, they may trade White before he's due for another contract, or simply let him walk.
Another Bulls guard threatening White's role is backup point guard Tre Jones. Jones has been brilliant in the preseason, averaging nine points and five assists per game on 75 percent shooting from the field and 67 percent shooting from three.
Like Dosunmu, Jones is definitely less talented than White, but his ability to distribute the ball, combined with his much cheaper contract, could make him a better long-term fit for the Bulls.