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The proposed trade would send Trae Young to the Chicago Bulls

After navigating Josh Giddey‘s restricted free agency this summer, the Chicago Bulls will be preparing for Coby White‘s unrestricted free agency next summer.

The score-first guard has shown significant improvement in recent years, cementing himself as a 20-point-per-night threat. Therefore, Chicago must decide whether to issue White a well-earned pay rise, or let him explore the free agency market at the risk of him walking away with nothing coming back in return.

In a recent article from Bleacher Report’s Eric Pincus, a move for Trae Young was floated as a potential option for the Bulls. Pincus laid out a complete trade idea, which looked like this:

Chicago Bulls Get: Trae Young and Mouhamed Gueye

Atlanta Hawks Get: Coby White, Kevin Huerter, Jevon Carter and a first-round pick

“White emerged as a potent scorer a year ago, but he wants more in an extension than Chicago can legally pay (a maximum of $19.4 million),” Pincus wrote. “White may be one of the top unrestricted free agents in July; or, the Bulls may take a bigger swing by acquiring Young. Huerter, Carter and Gueye are filler in the deal. Chicago would need to give up a first-round pick to entice the Hawks, perhaps the one the Portland Trail Blazers owe in 2026 or one of the Bulls’ own with protection.”

Adding Young would partner him with Giddey and give the Bulls a versatile and talented backcourt.

Bulls Should Be Wary Of Young’s Defensive Issues

Young’s limited defense has been an issue throughout his career. So much so that Atlanta spent years searching for a partner that helped mask Young’s shortcomings. Giddey isn’t the type of defensive talent a team needs in order to get the best out of the All-Star guard.

Furthermore, Young’s need for the ball would limit Giddey’s overall effectiveness. It would be hard to envision a Giddey and Young pairing being the sort of backcourt that a contending-level roster is built around.

With that said, the Bulls may see Young as the type of talent you can’t pass up. If he hits the trade market, the Bulls face a dilemma. They would need to re-evaluate their overall rebuilding blueprint.

Young Would Bring His Own Contract Issues

Unlike White, Young does have another year left on his contract. However, that additional year is a player option. Young will likely opt out of that option. That way, he can sign a new deal with multiple guaranteed years. If Chicago were to trade for him this season, it would likely need to pay him north of $50 million next summer.

The Bulls have been methodical in managing their cap space throughout the current rebuild. They may balk at the notion of committing 25% (or more) of their cap sheet, especially given his shaky fit.

Even if Chicago chooses to keep White around long-term, his cap hit would be slender compared to Young’s. So, while Young would be an attractive name on paper, it’s unlikely we see him head to the Windy City. He doesn’t fit the current rebuilding approach. And, Giddey projects to be the lead guard of the future after a strong debut season.

Adam Taylor is a basketball reporter covering the Boston Celtics, Los Angeles Lakers, Golden State Warriors, New York Knicks and Miami Heat for Heavy. He holds bylines for CelticsBlog, USA Today and Yardbarker. Adam also covers the WWE and AEW. He has a bachelor’s degree in creative writing from Open University. More about Adam Taylor

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