Disappointing Bulls Top-10 Pick Floated as Backup Solution for $85M All-Star

In a world rife with minutiae, it is important not to lose sight of the bigger picture. The Chicago Bulls would be wise to remember that when evaluating where they are after 21 games this season.

At 9-12, it is nearly impossible to argue the season has gone as planned to this point. And that is without factoring in Zach LaVine still rounding into form and Lonzo Ball’s continued absence.

One of the more pleasant surprises, however, has been Coby White.

The fourth-year guard out of North Carolina is coming off the first healthy offseason of his career and it has paid off in the form of improved ball handling and, most importantly, confidence. So much so that there is thought the polarizing former lottery pick could be an attractive trade target to a rival Eastern Conference title contender.

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The Great White North

“The Raptors need to pack a heavier scoring punch on the perimeter, and White could up their potency,” writes Zach Buckley of Bleacher Report. “He hasn’t had a great start to this season, but over the past two campaigns, he was a nightly source of 13.9 points on 42.3 percent shooting (37.1 percent from distance) and 3.9 assists against 1.7 turnovers.”

On White’s tanked efficiency this season, his three-point attempt rate is a career-high 64.5% and, before going 0-for-2 from beyond the arc in the Bulls’ 132-113 loss to the Phoenix Suns, White was 9-for-17 — or 52.9% — on threes over the previous three games.

Always a streaky shooter, and never a strong defender, it is a bit odd to see White, 22, mentioned in connection with the Raptors.

Their roster is composed of lengthy, switchable wing types and point guard Fred VanVleet.

“Toronto runs about as top-heavy as any team in the NBA,” argues Buckley, “and that’s most evident at the point guard position. While starter Fred VanVleet logs a team-high 37.3 minutes per night, backups Malachi Flynn and Dalano Banton keep trying and failing to lock down a full-time gig in this rotation”

White is bigger than the 6-foot-1 Flynn but Dalano is listed at 6-foot-9. Still, the Bulls’ bench shooter is better from deep than either of the Raptors’ two young guards in efficiency and/or volume.

But, as his time in Chicago has shown, playing point guard doesn’t suit White’s playing style very well.

“It’s possible White might suffer the same fate,” Buckley concedes. “Then again, it’s also clear if he proved himself worthy of significant minutes, he wouldn’t have any major obstacles in his path.”

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Getting White to TO

Buckley does not specify any deal in particular. But, like the Bulls, there is a big wage gap from the top eight players on the Raptors roster to the bottom six meaning the options to get White to Toronto are limited. But they do have some pieces that should appeal to the Bulls.

At the top of the list – assuming a 1-for-1 trade – should be former Bulls forward Thaddeus Young.

He was traded to the San Antonio Spurs in the trade that brought DeMar DeRozan to Chicago.

The 34-year-old is still effective averaging 5.6 points on 57.3% true shooting, 4.2 rebounds, 2.0 assists, and 1.2 steals in a hair over 18 minutes per game. While starting the last eight games for the Raptors, Young has averaged 9.9 points on 61.3% true shooting with 6.3 boards, 3.0 assists, and 1.8 steals.

Other potential trade candidates include 30-year-old big man Khem Birch as well as former Bulls forward, Otto Porter Jr.

Birch is four years Young’s junior while Porter is a year younger and just won a championship.

None of them, however, can contribute in the multi-faceted ways that Young can. The Bulls didn’t trade him due to performance, and there does not seem to be any reason he would not be welcomed back, assuming he would even want to return.

White is in the final year of his rookie contract and is set to be a restricted free agent after the season. Young technically has one more year on his deal after this season but it is only guaranteed for $1 million of the $8-plus million he will be on the books for in 2023-24 if he is retained.

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Bulls Future Undetermined

The Bulls are said to have little interest in tanking and White has been available in a trade for the last year. Their asking price was said to be a young rotational player and a draft pick to take the former seventh-overall pick off their hands.

If that deal has not materialized to this point, there is a strong likelihood that it won’t.

It might behoove the Bulls to be proactive and get someone who can help them now rather than run the risk of having to either overpay White or lose him for nothing.

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