The Chicago Bulls are entering an offseason that could be chaotic or just more of the same.
If the Bulls can’t find a trade for Zach LaVine and decide to bring DeMar DeRozan back, they will have no cap space and few ways to improve outside of what is likely to be the 11th pick in the 2024 NBA Draft.
Given that this draft is a complete crap shoot (even for the draft), the Bulls certainly can’t rely on finding a star in that range and may be lucky to get a player who starts as a rookie.
If the Bulls do decide to finally shake things up, they’d love to jettison LaVine, possibly Nikola Vucevic and maybe even Alex Caruso to add some assets and start over.
But is there anyone they wouldn’t trade?
Do the Chicago Bulls have any untouchables this summer?
A recent article in Bleacher Report speculated that Coby White was the only player on the Bulls who is untouchable in a trade this summer.
This makes sense, as White is coming off his best season in which he made a big leap and finished second in the Most Improved Player award.
White is still just 24 years old and possibly more importantly, is on a value contract that will pay him $12 and 12.8 million in the next two seasons.
All of these factors would make it very difficult for the Bulls to get equal value for White, as there are few players as productive and young making that kind of money. You don’t trade 24-year-olds who look on the verge of stardom and that’s what the Bulls have in White.
However...
The case for trading Coby White
If I had to bet on whether the Bulls would trade White this summer, I’d bet the house on no, but you can’t completely rule it out either.
White is pretty much the Bulls’ only valuable trade asset other than Alex Caruso, whose value may be stunted by his expiring contract and big looming raise. With two low-cost years left on his deal, there would be teams lined up for White and the Bulls may be able to replenish their draft assets by moving him.
Attaching White to a deal might also be a way to trade Zach LaVine and actually reap some assets instead of just giving him away. A team like the Pistons isn't going to trade one of their young prospects for LaVine straight up, but they might be more inclined if White were attached, which could be a way to jumpstart a rebuild if the Bulls choose to go in that direction.
As good as White was last season, what he does isn’t that hard to find in the NBA, so you could argue that any rebuild should at least explore what the Bulls could get back in a trade.
There’s also the issue of his next deal, as White will soon be extension eligible and there is some risk in investing heavily in a combo guard who will be at best the 2nd or 3rd best player on a good team.
All that being said, it’s doubtful the Bulls will do anything that dramatic this summer, so don’t expect White to be traded, but if the right path emerged to get out of this mess, it can’t be ruled out completely.