After inking Josh Giddey to a four-year, $100 million contract, the Chicago Bulls have at least two pillars of the franchise set with the Aussie point guard and sophomore forward Matas Buzelis. Coby White, who could potentially be the third member of that trio, has publicly stated his desire to stay in the Windy City -- admittedly, with a critical caveat.
The Bulls would have to hand him a shiny new deal, one that will likely exceed what the organization just paid Giddey.
As with any decision, there are pros and cons that would come with a decision to keep him in Chicago. White showed last season he's capable of being one of the NBA's best scorers. He's a true combo guard who can also lead an offense. He's only 25 years old, and his career is on a clear upward trajectory.
On the other hand, he's a poor defender who will be playing next to another poor defender in Giddey. While the Bulls are set to have the most cap space of any team in the league next summer, $30 million or more is a large chunk of change to give to a player who really only affects one end of the floor.
That's a discussion for the front office and White's team to have during the season, but the former North Carolina star hasn't hidden his interest in staying in Chicago.
Coby White speaks out on his desire to remain with the Bulls
The six-year pro led his team in scoring last season and averaged a career-best 20.4 points per game. He also topped the Bulls in total minutes, 3-point makes (216), free-throw attempts (while shooting 90.2 percent from the line) and was second only to Giddey in assists.
The franchise would presumably love to bring all that back in 2026-27 and White is on board with that, assuming things play out correctly in the offseason, per Marc Spears of Andscape:
""One of the things that I like to do in my life is to be present in the moment. I don’t really think too much ahead because I love Chicago. I love being in Chicago. I love the front office. I love my teammates. I love the staff. I built a great relationship with coach Billy Donovan. And for me, if it is meant to be [to] stay a Chicago Bull, then I can’t ask for nothing else.""Coby White
The Bulls are in the early stages of a rebuild (don't tell them that), and holding a certain level of continuity within a young group is important. So is internal improvement. Keeping White around, especially if he wants to stay with an organization that isn't in a hurry to compete at the highest level, seems like a straightforward call.