As the Chicago Bulls watch the NBA playoffs from home, for the fourth consecutive year, a highly anticipated offseason awaits, with the team expected be active in both the free agency and trade markets.
With both Nikola Vucevic and Zach LaVine in house, the pressure is on the front office to capitalize on the window presented by having two All-Stars.
What that looks like, remains unclear, with the NBA’s offseason landscape still hard to make out as the postseason’s still in play.
Still, Bleacher Report’s Andy Bailey has identified at least one candidate the Chicago Bulls should take a hard look at this summer: point guard for the Boston Celtics, and two-time All-Defensive team member Marcus Smart.
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Bailey’s Trade Proposal
Andy Bailey crafted this trade proposal in his latest for Bleacher Report, Trades to Rescue Superstars Who Missed the NBA Playoffs.
In exchange for Marcus Smart, he proposed the Chicago Bulls send Coby White, matching salary, and draft compensation:
- Chicago Bulls receive: Marcus Smart
- Boston Celtics receive: Coby White, Al-Farouq Aminu, 2025 first-round pick
He cited Smart’s defensive prowess and ability to impact the game without the ball as his primary reasoning:
For the Chicago Bulls, a guard who doesn’t dominate the ball (Zach LaVine and Nikola Vucevic will control the offense) and can defend the opposition’s toughest perimeter assignment makes a ton of sense.
As well as the team’s clear desire to win now:
The Bulls signaled they are in win-now mode when they traded multiple first-round picks to the Orlando Magic for Vucevic. This move would double down on that philosophy by unloading another draft asset, but that’s probably what it would take to pry Smart from the famously stingy Danny Ainge.
Smart has played in 65 playoff games across his seven seasons with the Celtics. That kind of experience would be a welcome addition to a Bulls team with other postseason savvy veterans like Garrett Temple and Thaddeus Young.
But Coby White as well as a first-round pick seems a steep price to pay for a guy with one year left on his contract. One or the other, sure, but to pay both would be playing into the narrative (and arguable truth) that Danny Ainge has never lost a trade.
Insider Predicts Coby White Remains in Chicago
While it’s likely teams will call the Chicago Bulls about Coby White, team insider K.C. Johnson expects Coby White to still be with the team next season.
He said as much in his latest for NBC Sports, where he went through the roster and offered predictions on whether or not they’re to remain in the Windy City:
Regardless of whether he’s a point guard or a starter, he’s a core piece and factors to play a major role next season. His decision-making improved, but he still shined brightest when off the ball in catch-and-shoot situations. He’s the fourth-highest lock to return.
White’s coming off of an up-and-down second season that saw him fluctuate between starter and sixth man. But he still managed to produce at a respectable level, finishing the year averaging 15.1 points, 4.8 assists, and 4.1 rebounds per game.
For now, he seems to figure into their immediate plans, if not long-term as well.
One has to wonder if their position would remain the same in the instance the Boston Celtics offered up Marcus Smart.
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