Sitting at 6-9 in ninth place in the Eastern Conference, the Chicago Bulls are in a familiar place. Chicago held the ninth spot in the standings for over three months a season ago. Eventually losing to the Miami Heat in the play-in tournament.
Following the offseason departures of DeMar DeRozan, Alex Caruso, and Andre Drummond, the Bulls did little to replace its lost talent. The Bulls swapped Caruso for Josh Giddey and signed Jalen Smith to compensate for the loss of the former reserve big Drummond.
Despite the infusion of talent, the Bulls' record through 15 games is eerily similar to what it was a season ago. There's a discussion to be had about what the Bulls' direction should be. From one standpoint, it could be argued that Chicago is a player away from avoiding the Eastern Conference play-in tournament. As of now, only four teams in the east are above .500.
Conversely, Chicago has had one playoff appearance in the last seven seasons. There's a chance the Bulls could earn another trip to the postseason this year, but it doesn't go without saying that Chicago is off to a rough start, harboring its worst offensive rating in four seasons and its worst defensive rating ever. Furthermore, the Bulls' core duo of Zach LaVine and Nikola Vucevic haven't moved the needle, combining for one playoff victory in three and half seasons together.
All things considered, it's more than likely at least one of LaVine or Vucevic will be moved prior to the February 6 trade deadline. Both players are playing exceptionally well thus far, averaging more than 20 points per game and converting on over 50 percent of their field goals and 42 percent of their three-pointers.
Including the high-flying guard and suddenly sharpshooting big man is a cop-out when articulating the Bulls' most apparent trade candidates. Instead, the focus is shifted to the other Bulls' who make the most sense being dealt by the deadline.
Dalen Terry
First is Dalen Terry, a first-round pick in the 2022 NBA Draft. Chicago drafted Terry ahead of Christian Braun, Walker Kessler, and Andrew Nembhard. In his first two seasons, the Arizona product appeared in just 97 games, totaling 265 points and connecting a mere 24 of his 101 three-point attempts.
The 22-year-old's performance this season has mostly remained the same. Terry is averaging 4.1 points, 1.8 rebounds, and 0.9 assists while shooting 45.7 percent from the field and 28.6 percent from beyond the arc. Despite the paltry counting stats, Terry has impressed on the defensive end. The 6-foot-7 wing's opponents shoot 14.4 percent worse when he's the primary defender. In this category, Terry ranks second in the NBA, only to Caruso.
Terry is especially stifling around the rim. His opponents are shooting nearly 24 percent worse on average when defended by the Chicago guard—a mark slightly better than San Antonio's Victor Wembanyama. Although his offense lags behind, Terry has the makings of a quality rotation piece.
Nevertheless, ditching Terry this season may be better than holding onto the wing for much longer. Nearly two and a half seasons into his career, Dalen has yet to demonstrate serviceable offense. Rather than allowing Terry's value to decline, Chicago could trade the swingman for additional draft assets before it's too late.
Ayo Dosunmu
While Terry has disappointed as a first-rounder, Ayo Dosunmu has impressed despite his second-round draft status. The former Illinois guard was an immediate success, starting in 40 games as a rookie and averaging 8.8 points, 2.3 rebounds, and 3.3 assists on excellent shooting splits.
Dosunmu's second season was hardly different than his first, except for a substantial decrease in three-point shooting percentage. Following his sophomore campaign, Dosunmu re-signed with the Bulls for three more seasons and $21 million. Since signing the modest contract, Ayo has only improved his game. He averaged career-highs across the board last season while upping his efficiency.
After all the praise, one might wonder why Dosunmu would be included in a midseason trade. The answer is simple: he's one of Chicago's best assets. 24-year-old efficient combo-guards raking in only $7 million per season don't come around often.
Dosunmu is the perfect candidate to trade, regardless of Chicago's preferred future direction. The 6-foot-5 guard could be used to acquire a rim-protecting big man, a la Nic Claxton. Or, he could be sent to a contender in need of perimeter depth in exchange for draft capital.
Coby White
Finally, the best player on the list is Coby White. Following several seasons of serviceable play, White evolved into a go-to shotmaker and lead ball handler a season ago. The former North Carolina guard averaged career-highs in points and assists while ranking second in offensive win shares, only behind DeRozan.
White is undoubtedly one of the Bulls' more divisive trade candidates. He's one of Chicago's best players and he makes just $12 million per season—the 63rd highest-paid guard in the NBA. Coby is a valuable asset and an easy player to trade for.
If Chicago ultimately plans on tearing it down, expect White to be on the trade block, especially if the Bulls are unwilling to offer him $30 million annually after next season. Several teams needing a starting point guard or an elite reserve could be willing to pay a high price for White's services. He's unequivocally worth a first-round pick, either this season or multiple firsts in the coming seasons (depending on what else is included in the trade).
Perhaps if the Bulls plan to hold onto LaVine (for reasons unknown), White could be dealt for a two-way forward or defensive-minded big man (think Minnesota forward Jaden McDaniels as a potential option). Nonetheless, White is Chicago's most straightforward trade piece moving forward due to his combination of value and talent. While he's better than McDaniels, roster construction and positional fit should trump pure talent.