Chicago Bulls unlikely to re-sign one of their star players: Insider

The Chicago Bulls roster has taken shape, with Josh Giddey finally signing for four years and $100 million. The Bulls needed another point guard to pair with Tre Jones, who re-signed earlier in the offseason, and Giddey was the perfect choice after he emerged as a solid option last season.

The Bulls’ lineup will see Giddey at the point, Coby White at shooting guard, Isaac Okoro at the three, Matas Buzelis at the four, and Nikola Vucevic manning the five. Two members, Vucevic and White, will be free agents at the end of this season and could be on the move at the trade deadline, depending on how the season goes.

White stepped up as a key member for the Bulls last season, but this could he his final year with the Bulls, as he is unlikely to sign an extension with the team, according to an insider.

Coby White is unlikely to re-sign with the Chicago Bulls

Even though the Bulls, like their compatriots, the Chicago White Sox, have a nice young core emerging, they aren’t going to have it stick around long-term. According to NBA Insider Jake Fischer, White will land a $30 million a year deal in free agency, which the Bulls are unlikely to give.

“I don’t think so, because Coby White, to my understanding, is going to be eligible for more money as a free agent next year, and the talk around the league has already been that Coby White is going to be seeking even north of the $30 million average annual value that Josh Giddey has been, and that’s going to probably be a pretty big talking point about Chicago’s off season when we get to that point.

Right now, I’m not expecting an extension for Coby White at this juncture, but his future and what Coby White’s contract could ultimately look like is now, I think probably question number one about Chicago from a transactional standpoint, now that Giddey is secured and locked up long term, probably number two would be, what can or what even is possible to come for Nikola Vucevic on a veteran trade market situation where he’s now finally an aspiring contract.

He’s obviously been in trade talk for several years now. We’ll see what comes there. But I think what’s most important for Chicago is that they have their point guard of the future locked in for four years. It’s been regarded around the league as a pretty team, friendly deal, but also a strong value play for Josh Giddey as well, at 22 years old, to guarantee yourself $100 million if you really are worth 30 million plus an average you.”

If the Bulls can’t re-sign White, then they need to get value for him

If the Bulls are truly unlikely to re-sign White and prove to him that sticking around is the best option for him, then they’ll need to maximize what they can get for him in a trade. The Bulls fumbled getting much in the way of draft picks when they traded Zach LaVine, but they did get three interesting players, who will contribute this season.

Since White is a rising star in the league and is considered a “$30 million player”, the Bulls could come out well when trading him and make up for what they should have gotten when trading LaVine.