5 Things on the Chicago Bulls' Christmas List This Holiday Season

If I had to guess, the Chicago Bulls are written in pen on Santa Claus' naughty list this season. I think that's what happens when you lose three straight Play-In Tournaments and remain well outside the playoff picture.

Still, it never hurts to send the old man a list of Christmas wishes! And perhaps their current four-game winning streak will work in their favor! Let's go over five things that the Bulls almost surely have on their wish list this holiday season.

The Coby White Bidding War Works

Coby White of the Chicago Bulls — Dec 14, 2025; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Chicago Bulls guard Coby White (0) stands on the court during the second half at United Center. Mandatory Credit: Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images | Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images

As of now, Coby White appears to be the Chicago Bulls' top trade candidate. While the Timberwolves have been the only team to be specifically connected to the guard in recent weeks, the general buzz tells us that there are plenty more suitors who are expected to big up the phone.

This feels especially true following White's best game of the season. During Chicago's fourth-straight win, White dropped 24 points on 7-13 shooting from the field. He had his best night of the season from downtown with a 5-10 showing, and he also went a nearly perfect 5-6 at the charity stripe.

Nevertheless, there are reasonable concerns about what the Bulls could get in return for the 25-year-old. There is no denying he remains a highly valuable and intriguing player, but the fact that he is only a handful of months away from unrestricted free agency undoubtedly works against the Bulls. Teams aren't going to want to pay top dollar knowing that they either have to give White a significant pay raise this offseason or could even watch him walk for nothing in return.

This is why a successful bidding war is surely on the Bulls' Christmas list! ClutchPoints Brett Siegel recently shared in his intel piece that folks around the league believe the front office is hoping to pit teams against each other as the deadline nears. They're also hopeful that an unprotected first-round pick will eventually end up on the table.

Let's just hope the front office is more flexible than it has been in the past. Yes, a bidding war is ideal and the best way to raise the price despite the circumstances around his contract. White is also the kind of player who can elicit a bidding war. But pulling this off successfully is also about not overvaluing your asset. The Bulls have to use other offers against each other as opposed to setting the bar too high. At the end of the day, you must have several real deals on the table to start a bidding war.

Someone Calls for Nikola Vucevic

Nikola Vucevic of the Chicago Bulls — Dec 12, 2025; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; Chicago Bulls center Nikola Vucevic (9) handles the ball against Charlotte Hornets center Ryan Kalkbrenner (11) during the second half at Spectrum Center. Mandatory Credit: Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images | Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images

The Nikola Vucevic trade market has remained rather dormant. There have been plenty of reports in the past about the Chicago Bulls trying to move on from the big man. He is the last remaining veteran piece from their previous win-now era, and his fit with what they are trying to build remains suspect at best.

To be clear, it's always good to have an adult in the room. Vucevic has been the consummate professional during his time with the franchise, including this season, when he has most felt like a fish out of water. His underrated passing and floor-spacing ability have also come up big for this group at times, and you have to give him credit for buying into this uptempo style of play.

Nevertheless, Vucevic is 35 years old and headed toward unrestricted free agency. His time with this franchise has pretty clearly come to an end, and the Bulls would love to get something in return for him before he walks away for nothing. Should they expect to get anything significant? No, particularly when we consider that he is owed a sizable $21.5 million this season and has long been deemed a liability defensively. But would anyone be willing to fork over a handful of second-rounders?

At this point, the Bulls would love to find Vucevic a new home. And it's hard not to think that he would appreciate the same thing, especially if it meant competing in a meaningful playoff series. The good news for both parties is that he has played better as of late! During this four-game win streak, he has scored 20+ points three times and has shot 54.8 percent from the field. If he can continue to look this efficient – while remaining dominant on the glass – maybe a contender talks themselves into Vucevic pushing them over the edge.

Josh Giddey Makes His First All-Star Game

Josh Giddey of the Chicago Bulls — Dec 14, 2025; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Chicago Bulls guard Josh Giddey (3) fouls New Orleans Pelicans guard Jordan Poole (3) during the first half at United Center. Mandatory Credit: Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images | Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images

The Chicago Bulls could be on the verge of having an All-Star lead guard. As things currently stand, there is no question that Josh Giddey is posting All-Star-worthy numbers. He is averaging career highs across the board with 20.0 points, 9.1 assists, and 9.1 rebounds. The 23-year-old is even shooting 40.2 percent from the field, which is easily the best mark of his five-year career.

On Tuesday night, Giddey recorded his seventh triple-double of the season with over 8 minutes to go in the third quarter. Nikola Jokic is the only player to have more triple-doubles this season. Similarly, Jokic and Giddey are the only two players in the NBA to be posting at least 20 points, 9 rebounds, and 9 assists a night. Talk about some good company!

Nobody is trying to say that Giddey is about to step on Jokic's toes. Maybe that's really what the Bulls want for Christmas? However, the fact that they are swimming in similar statistical waters is undoubtedly notable, and it speaks to why the guard could make a late surge for an All-Star spot.

While the fact that Chicago sits below .500 isn't going to help Giddey's case, their recent four-game winning streak might! They are now 14-15 on the season and have reminded teams around the league that they have a deadly offense. Giddey is the primary reason for that.

Plus, the fact that he has moved right to the top of most scouting reports could work in his favor. Head coaches are the ones who typically vote on the All-Star reserves, and Giddey has given them a lot to think about this season. Let's also not fail to consider that the NBA has adopted an NBA vs. World format for this February. An Aussie native with highlight-reel passing ability, Giddey could make a lot of sense on that roster of top overseas talent!

Matas Buzelis Makes a Late Push for MIP

Matas Buzelis of the Chicago Bulls — Dec 21, 2025; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Chicago Bulls forward Matas Buzelis (14) shown on the court prior to the game against the Atlanta Hawks at State Farm Arena. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-Imagn Images | Dale Zanine-Imagn Images

Better late than never, right?

There was a lot of talk about Matas Buzelis competing for the NBA's Most Improved Player Award coming into this season, and a lot of that was his own doing. The 21-year-old sat in front of reporters before the season started and blatantly declared it a goal. Since then, however, his odds have only trended in the wrong direction due to some inconsistent play.

Regardless, there is a reason the season doesn't end after 29 games. There is A LOT of basketball left to be played, and Buzelis has given fans reason to believe the best is yet to come. He has been an essential part of the Bulls' latest win streak, scoring at least 15+ points in the last three games. This included dropping a season-high 28 points on the Cavaliers before shooting a career-high 7-8 from downtown in his first meeting with the Hawks.

Buzelis also had two of his best plays of the season in the team's latest victory. First came a dominant two-way sequence where he drained a triple, blocked fellow MIP candidate Jalen Johnson, and finished the circus and-one layup. Second was a signature one-handed slam that made even Hawks fans leave their feet.

Highlight reel plays alone aren't going to win Buzelis the hardware, but they sure will not hurt! The same can be said about the win-loss column. If the Bulls can avoid another disastrous eight losses in nine games and hover around the .500 threshold, it's going to put Buzelis under a brighter spotlight. Look, do the Bulls expect him to surge back toward the top of the MIP rankings? Probably not, but isn't that what a Christmas wish is all about?

A Championship ...

Michael Jordan and Phil Jackson of the Chicago Bulls — June 14, 1998; Salt Lake City, UT, USA; Chicago Bulls guard Michael Jordan holds the MVP trophy and coach Phil Jackson holds the championship trophy after the Bulls beat the Utah Jazz to win their 6th NBA title. Mandatory Credit: Robert Hanashiro-USA TODAY | Robert Hanashiro-USA TODAY via Imagn Content Services, LLC

*Santa Claus chuckles*

It doesn't hurt to ask, right!?