The Chicago Bulls have been mentioned in almost every trade scenario that's on the open market. Anthony Davis, Giannis Antetokounmpo, LaMelo Ball, Domantas Sabonis, and Zion Williamson are among the names that've been attached to them in some capacity. For the first time this season, this afternoon produced a report that another team is seeking to add a Chicago Bull. With the season quickly spiraling out of control and the Bulls headed for a lottery selection in the 2026 NBA Draft, does Arturas Karnisovas break his norm of trade deadline silence and pull the trigger on a full-scale rebuild? This move would be the first seismic trade toward that project.
Coby White Could Be On The Move
Chicago's seventh overall pick in the 2019 NBA Draft, Coby White, could soon be in different threads. He's been a fan-favorite since his arrival, shown the most clear progression from any Bulls' draft choice over the past decade, and is their most electric and versatile scoring option. While there's no direct evidence that shows he's the main culprit for their recent slump, the team has been 2-5 with him in the lineup, four of those losses coming against bottom-dwelling teams. White's contract is up after this summer. With his drastic improvements since his last extension three years ago, his price tag will undoubtedly skyrocket from the $12 million annually he's currently inked to. Now would be the best time to part ways with the blossoming guard if they want to move on.
The Timberwolves have called the Bulls on Coby White, per @JCowleyHoops
— Legion Hoops (@LegionHoops) December 11, 2025
“The source said that Minnesota is not looking to wait until February and the trade deadline to get a deal done, looking to fix the primary ball-handling situation that’s been an issue all season long for… pic.twitter.com/azitg9RvW0
Chicago should execute as many of these trades as possible between now and the February trade deadline. Sending any expiring contracts or aging players to contending rosters is the best way to reinforce their current rebuild project. Nikola Vucevic is 35 years old, and his contract is also set to expire this summer; he's the most likely Bull to be dealt before the cutoff. Does Karnisovas pull the trigger and gain some returns on his investments before they hit unrestricted free agency?
The Proposed Trade
According to Joe Cowley of the Chicago Sun-Times, the proposed deal would yield the Bulls a young asset, a salary-filling piece, and draft capital. If they can flip an expiring contract of a player who does not fit the long-term plan and will get exponentially more expensive this summer, they should take that deal immediately.
Coby White is on the Wolves trade radar, per @JCowleyHoops
— Die-Hard Chicago Bulls Fans (@Bullsfans) December 11, 2025
Per Joe, potential trade would look like:
Bulls Give: Coby White
Wolves Give: Donte DiVincenzo, Terrence Shannon Jr. and a future draft pick. pic.twitter.com/V0p81cuTG0
If the current losing ways continue to push the Bulls further down the standings, Karnisovas should be much more aggressive in selling assets at the deadline. Now that they're out of contention for talks and close to being eliminated from the NBA Play-In tournament, trades are becoming increasingly likely.
If Chicago chooses to undergo a rebuild fully, should the current front office group be trusted to reconstruct the roster once again?
