Bulls Trade Rumors: Coby White Viewed as Trade Candidate by NBA Execs

As Coby White continues to recover from surgery to repair a torn labrum, the Chicago Bulls could look to make a deal involving their third-year point guard. 

Per Michael Scotto of HoopsHype, multiple executives around the NBA think that White is a potential trade candidate "because he was a part of the old regime, and he’ll move to that bench role as a combo guard."

The Bulls announced in June that White had surgery on his left shoulder to repair an injury he sustained "while engaged in basketball activities away from the team."

K.C. Johnson of NBC Sports Chicago reported last month that the Bulls are "hopeful" for a mid-November return from White. 

Johnson told Scotto on the podcast that White could still have a "pretty big role" with the Bulls when he returns because the team has struggled to find scoring off the bench through the first four games of the season. 

Per NBA.com, Chicago's 24.3 points per game from the bench is tied with the Indiana Pacers for 26th in the league. Alex Caruso is the team's highest-scoring non-starter (8.0 points per game). 

Even though head coach Billy Donovan wasn't with Chicago when White was drafted in 2019, the two did get to work together last season.

The 2020-21 campaign was the best of White's still-young career. He averaged 15.1 points per game in 69 appearances and shot 41.6 percent from the field. The 21-year-old did significantly increase his free-throw percentage (79.1 as a rookie to 90.1) and assists per game (2.7 to 4.8). 

Chicago is off to a 4-0 start for the first time since the 1996-97 season. The Bulls will put their undefeated record on the line Thursday night when they host the New York Knicks at the United Center.