4 Suitors (And One Wildcard) That Could Make Sense for a Chicago Bulls' Guard

While recent injury news has raised some concerns, the Chicago Bulls still project to have two of the NBA's top trade chips as the February trade deadline approaches.

Coby White and Ayo Dosunmu are two young guards who provide the kind of skillset that can immediately make an impact on a contending team. White is a proven sharpshooter who has only enhanced his scoring arsenal in recent years. His ability to consistently get to the free throw, in particular, has stood out since last season. As for Dosunmu, he is a transition menace who has a knack for making the hustle plays. And the Chicago native also happens to be having a career year before the arc.

While a concrete list of suitors has yet to emerge for either player, we now have enough of a sample size to understand which teams may need their assistance the most. Let's go through the list of four conceivable trade partners, as well as one wildcard team that could emerge in the coming weeks.

Minnesota Timberwolves

It only feels right to start this list with Minnesota. Dating back to before last season, the Timberwolves have frequently come up as a team in need of a lead ball-handler. While Anthony Edwards will remain the focal point of the offense, they have struggled at times with allowing things to become too one-dimensional. The addition of another ISO-centric player like Julius Randle has only exacerbated this issue.

To be sure, the Timberwolves have tried to solve this problem in the past. The aging Mike Conley served as the lead ball-handler for several seasons, while the organization drafted Rob Dillingham in hopes that he could fill the void. Nevertheless, neither is currently performing like the player that will help this team win a championship, which is something their two recent Western Conference Finals trips imply they are ready to do.

Coby White has already been directly linked to the Timberwolves this season. His ability to push the tempo and play both on-and-off the ball feels like a strong fit next to Edwards. For what it's worth, we have yet to hear of any extended talks between the two sides, but it sure wouldn't be a shock to hear this happens as the deadline approaches.

Would the Bulls have an interest in Donte DiVincenzo and a young former lottery pick like Rob Dillingham? What about a future first-rounder? If one thing is for sure, the Timberwolves have the pieces to get a deal done, and we have talked a lot more about that in recent weeks.

Houston Rockets

The moment Fred VanVleet went down with a torn ACL in September, it felt like the Houston Rockets were in the market for a point guard.

Adding Kevin Durant in the offseason, the franchise has gone all-in on a title pursuit. VanVleet was expected to be an essential part of that as a veteran champion and proven distributor. The Rockets may not necessarily lack depth, but they have built a roster that is incredibly thin in the backcourt. VanVleet's injury has thrown second-year guard Reed Sheppard into an extremely high-stakes role, while it. has also forced Aaron Holiday to bite off more than he can chew.

Now, Alperen Sengun does remain an extremely gifted facilitator from the middle of the floor, and we all know Durant is a high-IQ player. The Rockets deserve credit for still managing to hold a Top 5 spot in the Western Conference without a more traditional lead guard on the floor. But how much longer can they live like this? Is it sustainable for the playoffs?

Houston has the second-lowest assist percentage in the NBA this season. They also happen to have the third-highest turnover percentage and allow nearly 19.0 points off those mistakes a night. Those are problems that need to be solved if this team wants to be taken seriously in May and June.

Coby White and Ayo Dosunmu may not be considered the most traditional point guards, but they would undoubtedly give Houston a more reliable ball-handler. Heck, the fact that both White and Dosunmu are familiar with playing on-and-off the ball roles should also make them a strong fit. Both are also lightning quick in transition, which is an area where this group can struggle.

Dosunmu, in particular, feels like the kind of guy who could make a lot of sense for Houston to target this deadline. He is the more proven two-way asset and would cost far less for them to keep around come the offseason. The Durant acquisition and recent pay raises for the supporting cast force them to be cost-conscious.

Orlando Magic

Despite their massive offseason move, the Orlando Magic have yet to fix their most glaring weakness. The team traded four future first-round picks to the Memphis Grizzlies – which included three unprotected picks – for Desmond Bane. While the guard has undoubtedly helped fill an obvious hole in the backcourt, whether or not he can be the lone solution remains a fair question.

To the Magic's credit, they sit at a solid 18-15 and currently hold a Top 5 spot in the Eastern Conference. They have also seen some encouraging offensive improvement and hold a Net Rating that ranks 13th in the NBA. Still, floor-spacing remains a major problem for this group, which makes it relatively hard to take them seriously as a true Eastern Conference contender.

Just how bad have things been? Not only does Orlando take the sixth-fewest threes in the NBA (33.0), but they also drain those shots at the fourth-lowest rate (34.0 percent). Only the Mavericks, Trail Blazers, and Pacers have a worse shooting percentage from downtown this season – three teams that sit multiple games below .500.

Plenty speculated that Orlando could be a worthwhile landing spot for Coby White last season. The Bane acquisition seemed to be a stop to that talk, but might the still-underwhelming numbers be reason enough to fire up the trade machines again?

While White has struggled behind the arc this season, his career-long resume speaks for itself. He is a dynamic on-and-off ball shooter who would give Orlando two high-volume threats in the backcourt. Even Ayo Dosunmu would be an improvement over what the Magic have right now. While not the same dynamic threat, Dosunmu is recording a career-high 42.5 percent success rate from long range. He would also surely fit better into the Magic's defensive-minded identity.

The main problem for Orlando is that they sent out a lot of assets for Bane. Would the Bulls be willing to accept a stash of second-rounders alongside the necessary salary? I'm not so sure. I would also be skeptical of Orlando agreeing to give up any of their recently drafted players, though I could see the Bulls pushing for that. Jase Richardson and Noah Penda would both be fascinating flyers for a rebuilding Bulls team.

Dallas Mavericks

Anthony Davis for Coby White and Nikola Vucevic – who says no?

The Dallas Mavericks went from Western Conference dark-horse to Western Conference bottom-feeder in the blink of an eye. Former front office leader Nico Harrison was fired only a few games into the season, leading to reports that moving on from Anthony Davis could soon be in the organization's future.

While it remains unclear if Davis will find a new home by the deadline, it does feel increasingly clear that taking a step back and adding young talent is a new part of the organization's plan. They struck gold with landing No. 1 overall pick Cooper Flagg after the catastrophic Luka Doncic trade, and this now feels like a natural moment to reset the timeline.

First pairing Cooper Flagg with a young lead ball-handler makes the most sense, and the Chicago Bulls have two 25-year-olds who could continue to grow alongside the rookie. Unlike some other teams that are concerned about salary, the Mavericks might actually view the looming unrestricted free agency of Coby White and Ayo Dosunmu as a positive (assuming they move off Davis' money). They would be able to jump the line in free agency and convince either to build a long-term partnership with a potential superstar.

Also, while it's possible the Mavericks look to move on from Kyrie Irving once the guard returns healthy, it's not as if White or Dosunmu couldn't play alongside the All-Star. Both have the off-ball experience necessary to make the transition relatively effortless.

One could also argue that pursuing someone like White and Dosunmu gives the Mavericks the best of both worlds. Flagg is the kind of youngster who could be ready to compete sooner rather than later. The Bulls' guards still have room to grow, but are prepared to play meaningful basketball. Especially once Irving returns, Dallas could truly focus on competing as opposed to going full-blown tank mode.

Wildcard: Atlanta Hawks

Trae Young of the Atlanta Hawks — Dec 27, 2025; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Atlanta Hawks guard Trae Young (11) celebrates after a basket with guard Nickeil Alexander-Walker (7) against the New York Knicks in the third quarter at State Farm Arena. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images | Brett Davis-Imagn Images

Over the last handful of days, rumors have started to swirl about the Atlanta Hawks' willingness to shake things up. With several young players emerging over the last couple of years, the franchise appears more ready than ever to move on from superstar Trae Young. A report has even surfaced from Marc Stein of The Stein Line that they would part ways with No. 1 overall pick Zacchaire Risacher in the right deal.

As we discussed on Monday, the Young trade drama could have some pretty significant ripple effects on the Bulls, including creating a clear hole at point guard for Atlanta. Would they see Coby White as a more cost-effective and natural fit with their other young players?

He would provide similarly effective long-range shooting as Young, while also allowing Jalen Johnson to continue carrying a meaningful playmaking workload. Plus, players like Dyson Daniels and Nickeil Alexander-Walker are already on the roster to help make up for White's defensive deficiencies.

I also sure wouldn't be shocked to hear that the Bulls have an interest in Risacher. Is a White for Risacher deal the kind of transaction Stein is talking about? It's highly unlikely, but the Bulls do have full control of all their future first-rounders!

Nevertheless, the Hawks' potential hole at point guard makes them feel like a wildcard candidate to pick up the phone at the deadline. We all know the Bulls will be waiting.