Coby White showed last season that he can be a critical part of the future in Chicago — provided he’s around for said future. If he leaves as a free agent this summer, the Bulls will need to replace him, and there may be no shrewder way of doing it than by stealing Shaedon Sharpe away from the Portland Trail Blazers.

White became the Bulls’ go-to scorer after Zach LaVine was traded to the Sacramento Kings. He was instrumental in the team’s 15-5 finish as a three-level scorer and facilitator. But he’s about to be an unrestricted free agent who’s hoping to land a new contract worth $30 million or more annually. That’s a hefty price to pay for a non-superstar, which, understandably, has kicked off trade speculation surrounding the 25-year-old guard.

Sharpe and the Trail Blazers have yet to agree to an extension to keep the 22-year-old in Portland, meaning he’s set to hit restricted free agency in the offseason. Given his age, upside and the cost it would take to bring him to Chicago, swapping him for White may actually be the wiser team-building choice.

Bulls could sign Shaedon Sharpe to replace Coby White

This hypothetical is entirely based on the idea that White does indeed choose to exit the Windy City. There’s a good chance he stays, given the NBA’s new free agency landscape, but it’s also possible he has a massive 2025-26 campaign and earns more on the open market than the Bulls are willing to give him. In that case, Sharpe would be a dream fallback option.

Through six seasons, White has averages of 15.2 points, 3.6 rebounds and 3.8 assists. Sharpe, meanwhile, has scored 14.3 points per game across his three years in the NBA. But it’s not production that puts him on White’s level. It’s his physical tools and tantalizing upside.

The former Kentucky commit is every bit of 6-foot-6 with a near 7-foot wingspan and is one of the most explosive players in the League. He has the agility to finish around defenders, the leaping ability to finish over them and the strength to finish through contact.

He can create his own shot off the dribble from all three levels. He’s a bouncy, springy athlete who moves around the court with ease. That size, length, strength and explosiveness point to a solid defender, potentially a high-level one with time and effort.

Admittedly, White has shown a level of consistent production that Sharpe has not. He also won’t ever be that kind of athlete and doesn’t possess the same superstar feasibility. He brings a steady hand to the Bulls’ lineup, but Sharpe’s physical gifts make him a more enticing fit in head coach Billy Donovan’s helter-skelter, up-tempo scheme.

Sharpe would be a better value on a cheaper contract

While Chicago’s current two-guard could make somewhere around $30 million a year, NBA insider Jake Fischer on The Stein Line substack reported that Sharpe would land somewhere in the $25 million per season range. He name-drops Josh Giddey, in fact, as a contract comp.

White is more of a sure thing. Sharpe has only put up elite numbers in small bursts, and twice in the last few weeks of the season when either the Trail Blazers, the NBA, or both were in full tank mode. He needs to improve as a shooter and defender and become a consistent contributor.

But he’s younger, bigger and more athletic than White and boasts a considerably higher ceiling. If he’s also cheaper, and if the former UNC star leaves Chicago, grabbing him as a replacement would be a no-brainer — and a rare smart decision by the Bulls front office.