Chicago Bulls Could Eye Coby White Replacement In 2026 NBA Draft

With the addition of first-round pick Noa Essengue, the Bulls might already have their future forward pairing of the future. If Chicago doesn't want to pay both Giddey and White, they could opt to find their replacement in the 2026 NBA Draft.

According to Bleacher Report's Jonathan Wasserman, the Bulls might do just that and seek out White's replacement in his way-too-early 2026 NBA Mock Draft.

In the mock draft, Wasserman has the Bulls selecting Arizona Wildcats freshman Brayden Burries with the 12th overall pick. A five-star combo guard out of Southern California, Burries headlines a loaded Arizona recruiting class alongside fellow five-star Koa Peat.

What Would Burries Bring To The Table?

As highlighted by Wasserman's brief scouting report on Burries in the mock draft, Burries' main calling card as a player is his ability to score. At 6-foot-4 and 205 pounds, Burries has the ideal size as a combo guard in today's NBA. While White does stand an inch taller, he does weigh less than Burries.

Assuming that Chicago finds a way to bring Giddey back on a long-term deal, the ideal backcourt partner for him is someone who can score and impact the game without the ball in his hands. Obviously, that's something White can do, but if Burries pans out to what he's being projected as, Chicago can forgo paying White a lucrative extension and have Burries under a rookie deal.

However, as is seen with the way-too-early mock drafts over the years, plenty can change between now and the eventual draft. But, if Burries were able to end up in Chicago next season, he'd give the Bulls a potential core in 2026-27 of Giddey (24 years old at start of 2026 season), Buzelis (22), Burries (20), and Essengue (19).