The Orlando Magic just paid a hefty sum to upgrade their backcourt, swinging a trade for Memphis Grizzlies guard Desmond Bane for a wild haul that includes four first-round picks and a pick swap. It’s a package that the Chicago Bulls could have received—or at least a similar one—had they engaged in talks with Orlando for Coby White.
Perhaps Chicago VP of Basketball Operations Arturas Karnisovas and Orlando President Jeff Weltman did discuss the Bulls’ 25-year-old guard, but the talks simply didn’t progress. But given the lack of trade speculation concerning White, who will be an unrestricted free agent after this season, it’s safe to assume no deal was legitimately on the table.
That could prove to be a long-term mistake for Chicago.
Bulls could have offered Coby White to Magic for gigantic draft pick haul
The full trade between Orlando and Memphis looked like this, per NBA.com:
Magic receive: G Desmond Bane
Grizzlies receive: G Cole Anthony, G Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, four first-round picks (16th pick in 2025; unprotected 2026, 2028 and 2030), 2029 first-round pick swap (top-two protected)
Only a few days ago, it was reported that Orlando desired a trade up into the back half of the lottery, a story covered here with the idea that the Bulls could expand the deal and receive more draft capital if they included White in a potential move.
Chicago’s starting two-guard would’ve made sense for the Magic. Weltman said via The Stein Line he was after “proven shot-making, proven offensive play, someone that’s going to come in and help augment our weakness.”
White developed into the Bulls’ go-to scoring option last season but also averaged 4.5 assists. He’s not the deadeye shooter Bane is, but he hit 37 percent of his eight threes per game and is a superior playmaker capable of running an offense as a point guard.
Arguably, White fits what the Magic need better than Bane.
As Stein notes, part of the reason so many picks were involved was because the Grizzlies were willing to take on the remainder of Caldwell-Pope’s three-year, $66 million contract. The Magic signed the veteran guard last summer, hoping he could be the missing piece of an already talented, young roster. KCP was a massive disappointment.
The Bulls, who are set to have the most cap space of any team in the NBA next season and have Nikola Vucevic, Kevin Huerter and Zach Collins all on expiring deals, could have absorbed Caldwell-Pope’s deal just as Memphis did.
Maybe four firsts and a swap would be too much to give up for a player like White. But if Orlando is willing to shell out that many assets for Bane, surely it would’ve sent at least two first-rounders to Chicago?
It wouldn’t be in Karnisovas’s nature to make such a forward-thinking move. He wants to field a consistently competitive team, and White is arguably the Bulls’ best player. But barring some kind of miracle, Chicago isn’t going to be pushing toward the top of the East next season, even in a weakened conference.
Losing out on a chance to acquire more draft capital—especially this much draft capital—is a missed opportunity for the Bulls.
