The Chicago Bulls didn’t waste much time in their preseason opener against the Cleveland Cavaliers to remind fans that Coby White is the true heartbeat of this team.

White has been sidelined for the start of training camp after suffering a mild calf strain during summer workouts. During his interview during Chicago Bulls media day on September 29th, White explained, “I’m still ramping up right now, but I’m in a good space. It’s nothing major, a mild strain. It’s continuing to get better, but obviously the calf is nothing to play with, so we’re trying to take it slow.”

A rough start

In the opening minutes, the Bulls looked every bit like a team that hadn’t played together in nearly six months. Turnovers piled up early, the half-court offense was stagnant, and they couldn’t buy a shot if they tried. The team’s execution was extremely flat, and it quickly became clear that this team needed someone to give them direction and a steady hand to run the offense.

That someone is Coby White.

His absence was felt immediately. The Bulls lacked the tempo and composure he provides when pushing in transition or creating space off the dribble. Early possessions felt disconnected. Forced passes resulted in turnovers, and rushed shots killed any rhythm. Chicago looked like a team still trying to remember how to play together.

It wasn’t until the second quarter that the Bulls began to show any sense of rhythm. Ayo Dosunmu provided a much-needed spark off the bench, scoring 12 points on 5-of-6 shooting in just 14 minutes in the first half. His energy briefly steadied the offense, but even then, Chicago looked afraid of Cleveland’s physical defense. The fluidity and confidence that White brings simply were not there.

The Bulls’ next move is clear

White’s growth over the past few seasons has elevated him from a promising young scorer to a borderline All-Star. He’s become the microwave scorer with the ability to stabilize an offense, and the Bulls’ first preseason game only reinforced that.

It’s also worth noting that White is entering the final year of his contract, setting him up to enter unrestricted free agency in the 2026 offseason. If this preseason game taught the front office anything, Chicago should already be thinking about how to keep him around long term.

It’s only preseason, and White’s injury isn’t a major concern. But as the Bulls stumbled through their first stretch of basketball, one thing became glaringly clear: they can’t afford to be without the player who makes everything click.