The type of assets Chicago could land in a Coby White trade is beginning to come into focus, and it's not great news for the Bulls.
White has been one of the most mentioned names in the trade rumor mill as the New Year approaches. The 25-year-old is a proven NBA scorer and an underrated playmaker. Several contenders could certainly use a guard with the former North Carolina Tar Heels star's skill set as they prepare for a deep playoff run.
Unfortunately for Bulls Executive VP of Basketball Operations Arturas Karnisovas, a deal isn't as straightforward as it would seem. White is set to be an unrestricted free agent at the end of this season, and given his incredibly modest $12.8 million expiring salary, he won't settle for an in-season contract extension.
Instead, any acquiring team will consider him to be a "rental" for the remainder of the 2025-26 campaign -- and one hoping to land a new deal worth $25-30 million annually.
That likely means a sub-par trade return in Chicago's eyes, a truth that is getting clearer by the day.
Bulls hoping to land an unprotected first-round pick for Coby White
Brett Siegel of ClutchPoints, who, coincidentally, claimed Chicago will be the "biggest sellers in the East," mentioned six teams that could be in play for White between now and Feb. 5, including the Minnesota Timberwolves, Atlanta Hawks, Cleveland Cavaliers and Orlando Magic.
Orlando, in particular, would make an interesting trade partner for the Bulls, who are reportedly more open to trading White than ever before, per insider Marc Stein.
The Magic are looking to move off of forward Jonathan Isaac and would include some second-round picks in a trade to land some backcourt scoring punch, per Siegel, which explains their reported interest in White.
Isaac would be an intriguing fit for Chicago. At a mobile 6-foot-10 with a 7-foot-2 wingspan, the 28-year-old is one of the league's premier defenders when healthy. Isaac has only played 304 total games across his seven NBA seasons, though, which raises obvious concerns.
For what it's worth, he did appear in 71 games last year and has played in 28 for Orlando so far in 2025-26, albeit in only 10.8 minutes per contest.
Isaac's contract runs through 2028-29, but only $8 million is guaranteed next season, and the final two years are non-guaranteed, so Chicago could cut bait if it wants to.
Per Siegel, the Bulls are holding out for an unprotected first-round pick if they do move White. They hope to start a "bidding war," per league executives, to maximize their return. The chances of them landing a lottery pick are just about non-existent, however, regardless of how many rival teams they can pit against each other.
Considering that only contenders will be in the market for a "rental" like White, it may not be impossible for Karnisovas to extract a late first-rounder and some other assets. But it's already clear that game-changing pick the Bulls need isn't coming.