Stunning NBA 3-Team Mock Trade Sends Coby White From Bulls, Moves Two All-Stars

The Chicago Bulls are lacking.

The Chicago Bulls are lacking in the middle, where an aging Nikola Vucevic is tops on their depth chart, followed by the solid-but-unspectacular Zach Collins and the underperforming Jalen Smith.

The Chicago Bulls are lacking at the four spot, where Patrick Williams is, um, Patrick Williams.

And the Chicago Bulls are lacking at the shooting guard position, where overpaid non-needle-mover Kevin Huerter has set up shop.

But one place the Bulls are A-okay is at point guard.

You’re looking at budding star Josh Giddey (assuming, as reported, that the restricted free agent re-signs with Chicago), and fan-favorite-slash-energy-guy Ayo Dosunmu, and, in Tre Jones, a skilled youngster who could start on about one-fourth of the teams in the Association.

You’ve also got Coby White.

What Can White Do For You

The 25-year-old White finished second in voting for the 2023-24 Most Improved Player award, and justifiably so, considering that A) He missed all but nine games of the 2022-23 season, B) His leap in averages was bonkers, to the tune of +6.4 points, +2.2 assists, and +1.5 rebounds.

Last season, he had an uptick in points (+1.3), but otherwise statistically stagnated—but considering Chicago’s imbalanced roster and the oddball coaching style of Billy Donovan, it would’ve been difficult for anybody to fully thrive in the Bulls offense scheme.

In the right situation—which Chicago, what with their plethora of guards and blah player development department isn’t—the former Tar Heel has All-Star potential. And that potential could be realized with a team that boasts among the finest infrastructures in the NBA: the Miami Heat.

All of which is why a three-team trade like this could be a thing:

Chicago Bulls receive:

Scottie Barnes (SF/PG)

Miami Heat receive:

Coby White (PG/SG)

Zach Collins (C)

Chicago’s 2027 first-round draft pick (lottery protected)

Toronto Raptors receive

Tyler Herro (PG)

Miami’s 2028 first-round draft pick (lottery protected)

(Note: The trade works under the salary cap, as per ESPN’s NBA Trade Machine.)

Let Us Count the Ways

The Bulls would (or at least should) pull the trigger on this deal for four simple, logical reasons:

1) The point guard log jam is now unjammed.

2) Barnes fills the Bulls’ massive hole at the wing.

3) At 24-years-old, Barnes fits Chicago’s timeline.

4) The Bulls bean counters won’t have to worry about giving White the hefty extension he richly deserves.

Miami gets three benefits of their own:

1) Given a proper system, White can deliver similar production to Herro's, and he’s one year younger.

2) Collins could mentor and/or replace raw 21-year-old Kel’el Ware in the middle.

3) Currently, Miami doesn’t own a 2027 first-round pick. Problem solved.

Toronto also comes out of the deal with a trio of plusses:

1) Herro would wildly improve Toronto’s meh backcourt of Immanuel Quickley and Gradey Dick.

2) In the thin Eastern Conference, a quartet of Herro, R.J. Barrett, Brandon Ingram, and Jakob Poeltl is a legitimate contender for a playoff spot.

3) Future firsts are never a bad thing.

Naturally, all three of these team’s fanbase will kvetch about this one—Herro’s a legit alpha! White’s potential is barely tapped! Barnes is already a star!—but sometimes you have to lose a stud to gain a stud.

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