Bulls turning away trade offers for Coby White

The Bulls have fielded multiple trade inquiries for guard Coby White this offseason, but there is no indication they plan to move him as he enters the final year of his contract, according to Ashish Mathur of Dallas Hoops Journal.

“I know multiple teams tried to trade for Coby this summer,” an NBA executive told Mathur. “There was some chatter that he was almost traded on draft night. The Bulls love him though. He’s not going anywhere. They have shot down trade inquiries for him.”

The comments suggest Chicago may have briefly entertained the idea of moving White on draft night, but has not been willing to seriously engage in talks since then.

A first-round pick in 2019, White spent his first four seasons as a rotation player off the bench before becoming a full-time starter the past two years. He averaged a career-high 19.1 points in 2023-24, then followed with 20.4 points, 4.8 assists and 4.1 rebounds last season while shooting 37.3 percent from three-point range.

White stepped into the primary scoring role after the Bulls traded Zach LaVine, averaging 25.0 points over the final 25 games and leading Chicago to a 17-8 record in that span.

Re-signed in 2023 to a three-year, $36 million deal as a restricted free agent, White is not eligible for a significant extension before unrestricted free agency in 2026. Chicago could offer up to about $87 million over four years, but the 25-year-old is likely to test the market, where larger offers could be waiting.

That has fueled speculation the Bulls might consider a trade before the February deadline to avoid losing him for nothing. For now, though, the team appears confident about keeping him long term.

With White’s Bird rights and a relatively clean cap sheet, Chicago is in position to make a strong bid next summer. The Bulls, however, would not have the right to match an outside offer if he chooses to go elsewhere.

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