Feb 21, 2025; Houston, Texas, USA; Minnesota Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards (5) controls the ball as Houston Rockets forward Tari Eason (17) defends during the third quarter at Toyota Center. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images
Using yesterday’s reports and the culmination of rumors over the past month, it was determined that Coby White is the most likely player to be traded by the Chicago Bulls in the next eight days. With his expiring contract, salary set to triple this offseason, and an ill-fit with the future core of the team, Chicago should look to gain some return before he walks in free agency, leaving them empty-handed. The Minnesota Timberwolves, Houston Rockets, Los Angeles Clippers, and New Orleans Pelicans have all been mentioned as potential landing spots. This morning, a new addition to the recent reports means that this new home has likely dropped out of the running, barring a change of heart on either side.
Rockets Unwilling To Budge
Houston has emerged as a late candidate for a White deal, but any potential deal took a major turn for the worse this morning. According to Jake Weinbach, NBA analyst and writer, the Rockets are unwilling to part ways with either a first-round draft pick or Tari Eason in order to land the Bulls’ point guard. Especially with the way White has played this month, a deal without either of those two things likely won’t be enough to finish the swap. Chicago believes they can find late first-round draft capital or a youthful prospect elsewhere if they’re going to part ways with their former Tar Heel three-point threat.
The Rockets have reportedly maintained interest in Coby White, but it’s my understanding that Houston has been unwilling to include 24-year-old forward Tari Eason or a first-round pick in an offer to this point, which is likely what would be required to land White from Chicago.
Fans in Houston are eager to add the walking bucket from Chicago, and are pleading with their front office to throw in the first-round pick and salary-filling assets to get the deal done. White is a proven 20-point-per-game scorer, can facilitate with the best of them, and can play in a starting or sixth-man role with efficiency and effectiveness. He will be an X-factor for whatever roster he joins.
Inching Toward A Silent Deadline
Houston ignites an interesting cat-and-mouse game for Chicago. Arturas Karnisovas and the front office know they are unlikely to bring White back in free agency, given his price tag tripling, but also do not want to let him walk for crumbs. Opposing clubs are picking up on this memo and are unwilling to sell the farm for a two-month rental if he decides to walk in free agency. Do you sell White for any assets you can gain, since he’ll be gone with no return this summer? Or do you hold out, finish the year, and make a postseason push with the current group? With the offers currently floating around, they’d be giving a massive discount for a player of his caliber.
Coby White continues to show off very serious scoring + playmaking pop…
95th percentile O-DPM this season. Big time impact. Intrigued to see if he stays a Bull or what the potential trade package is. pic.twitter.com/1QeBNMQrui
While finding a suitor who is willing to part ways with a future first-round pick should be achievable given that White is a proven NBA starting caliber talent, it’s going to be about finding a home that is confident he’ll resign for future seasons, can afford his lucrative next salary, and needs to contend this season and bolster their lineup by shipping future assets.
Does AK get a deal done that nets Chicago a solid return for the future?
Jan 10, 2026; Chicago, IL, USA; in Chicago Bears defensive end Austin Booker (94) pressures Green Bay Packers quarterback Jordan Love (10) during an NFC Wild Card Round game at Soldier Field. Mandatory Credit: Matt Marton-Imagn Images
If you look at the teams that reached the conference championships this year, it isn’t difficult to determine the reasons they were there. All four had capable quarterbacks, and all four could rush the passer at a high level. The Chicago Bears have their quarterback. Unfortunately, they weren’t always able to consistently get to the quarterback. Part of that is some bad investments by GM Ryan Poles, but a bigger part has been health. The Bears had high hopes for second-year defensive end Austin Booker, who dominated the preseason.
Then he suffered an untimely knee injury. This kept him out for the next two months, leaving the Bears without much speed on the edge opposite Montez Sweat. It was made even worse when Dayo Odeyingbo and rookie Shemar Turner both suffered season-ending injuries. This forced the team to trade for Joe Tryon-Shoyinka from Cleveland. Thankfully, Booker returned and played far better than anyone expected. So good that NFL.com listed him as one of the unsung heroes of the 2025 season.
Austin Booker, DE · Year 2
In a magical season for the Chicago, most Bears received their just flowers, from a highly-praised offensive line to a turnover-crazed secondary to the young playmakers on defense. Had he played a full season, Booker would have surely garnered more of the spotlight. Thanks to a knee injury, he didn’t make his 2025 debut until Week 9 — but even so, Booker finished third on the Bears’ D in both sacks (4.5) and QB pressures (30), generating a 9.9% QB pressure rate over the final 10 regular-season games. In the first seven weeks of the Bears’ season, Chicago generated a 28.7% QB pressure rate (27th in the NFL) with 9.1 pressures per game (31st). After Booker entered the lineup, those numbers went to 33.2 % (21st) and 12.5 pressures per game (14th).
Booker might be peaking at the perfect time.
Remember, next year is the third of his rookie contract. That is typically when teams start determining whether to extend a player. As a 5th round pick, Booker has four years on his deal. That means if he wants the maximum extension possible, he must have a true breakthrough season in 2026. The good news is that if you average his production over his final six games out to a full 17-game schedule, he would’ve had 13 sacks. He was creating consistent havoc for the Bears up front.
If he can maintain that pace next season, there will be a sizable contract waiting for him. GM Ryan Poles has made it his mission to retain guys the Bears draft whenever possible. Having Austin Booker as a building block would be a great boost for their future. Perhaps the plan should be to draft somebody high anyway and make plans to eventually move on from Montez Sweat. Whatever the case, the Bears are in a far better spot than they were a few months ago.
Nov 7, 2025; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA; Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo (34) passes the ball away from Chicago Bulls forward Patrick Williams (44) in the second quarter at Fiserv Forum. Mandatory Credit: Benny Sieu-Imagn Images
This morning, ESPN’s Shams Charania tried his best to break the internet. He announced that Giannis Antetokounmpo wants out of Milwaukee, either in the next eight days or this summer, and that the franchise will be listening to offers. The next week will feature several teams throwing their youngest and best assets into trade packages, hoping to land the former MVP. For the Chicago Bulls, ties have been made this season between their front office and Antetokounmpo, citing that despite his camp reaching out to the franchise, Arturas Karnisovas turned away any potential trades. With the news this morning that the former NBA Finals Champion is on the move, here’s what the Bulls’ best offer will look like.
Throw An Offer In The Hat
This trade does not follow the patterns of how Karnisovas has navigated trades while with the organization. This is too much of a gamble, sacrificing too much future capital, and could cripple the franchise for several years if it goes poorly. While many fans would support a blockbuster deal regardless of what Chicago is sending off, it’s just not in AK’s DNA. Their best trade package would include Nikola Vucevic, Coby White, Kevin Huerter, and several future first-round draft picks.
.@ShamsCharania dropping nukes earlier today: Giannis ready to bounce from the Bucks.
Bulls could actually do this – ship out Vucevic's corpse, Coby White's potential, and half our future picks.
Chicago, be honest: Would you sell the farm for Giannis and instant contention…… pic.twitter.com/v0DsPkZm3m
If conversations progress to a negotiation between the two sides, there’s only one player who should be considered off-limits. Matas Buzelis should be where the line is drawn, and anyone else is expendable for a 31-year-old All-NBA talent with an MVP and Finals MVP on his resume. Per this report on what Milwaukee wants in return for their superstar, it might take Ayo Dosunmu, Coby White, Julian Philips, and more youthful assets.
Unfortunately, the package it would genuinely take to reel Antetokounmpo would likely be built around Buzelis, White, and potentially Dosunmu, plus picks. Are three of Chicago’s best future talents worth a game-changing asset over the age of 30?
Would you vote that Chicago sells the farm for the Greek Freak, or throw a mediocre offer out there and be content missing out on the newest superstar to hit the market?
Aug 26, 2023; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Chicago Bears general manager Ryan Poles looks on before a game against the Buffalo Bills at Soldier Field. Mandatory Credit: Daniel Bartel-USA TODAY Sports
Let’s get one thing straight before we even start: everybody loves the first round.
It’s the glitz. It’s the glam. It’s the shiny new toy syndrome. We all want to see Roger Goodell walk up to that podium, butcher a name, and hand a Bears jersey to some 22-year-old kid who we’ve convinced ourselves is the next Brian Urlacher or Matt Forte. We want the dopamine hit. We want to believe that at Pick 25, the Chicago Bears are going to land a cornerstone player who will haunt the NFC North for a decade.
But let’s be real for a second — if Ryan Poles actually makes a selection at number 25, he is failing the math test.
I know, I know. Nobody wants to hear about “math” or “value” when there are 4.4-speed edge rushers on the board. We want juice. We want playmakers. But right now, Halas Hall is staring down the barrel of what insiders call the “Dead Zone.” And if we’re being honest with ourselves — brutally honest — the only smart move, the only move that isn’t straight-up malpractice, is to get the hell out of there.
Welcome to the financial cliff. Welcome to the Draft Value trap. Grab a beer, because we’re about to ruin your draft party dreams with some cold, hard reality.
The Myth of the Guaranteed Starter
Here’s the narrative you’re going to hear on ESPN for the next few weeks: “The Bears have a chance to grab a falling star at 25! Maybe an edge rusher slides! Maybe a top-tier tackle falls into their lap!”
It sounds great. It feels good. It’s also complete nonsense.
We tend to look at the draft with rose-colored glasses, remembering the hits and conveniently forgetting the absolute trainwrecks. For every late-first-round steal, there are five guys who are currently selling insurance or playing in the UFL.
Let’s look at the receipts. According to a 35-year study by The Hog Sty using Pro Football Reference data, do you know what the actual hit rate is for an All-Pro player in this specific range?
11%.
Eleven percent. That is a 1-in-10 shot. You have better odds of getting a decent deep-dish pizza at an airport than you do finding a Hall of Famer at pick 25. Fans look at that pick and see a starter; the data looks at that pick and sees a scratch-off lottery ticket that usually pays out exactly zero dollars.
When you stick and pick at 25, you aren’t drafting a sure thing. You are drafting a coin flip with a weighted edge towards failure. And yet, teams treat this spot like it’s gold. They hold onto it with a death grip, terrified of missing out on “their guy,” ignoring the fact that “their guy” is statistically likely to be “just a guy.”
Ryan Poles has done a decent job of identifying talent — look at the 2025 class — but even the best GMs whiff. The draft is a crapshoot. The only way to beat the house is to buy more tickets, not pay extra for one ticket that has the same lousy odds as the cheaper ones.
The “CFO” Perspective: Why We’re Overpaying for Mediocrity
Okay, so the talent pool flattens out. That’s bad. But here is the financial kicker that makes sticking at 25 not just risky, but financially stupid.
The NFL rookie wage scale is rigid. It’s a ladder. And right there at the bottom of the first round, there is a cliff that nobody talks about.
If the Bears draft a player at Pick 25, they are locking themselves into a fully guaranteed contract worth roughly $19 million. That’s the price tag. You pay that whether the kid is a stud or a total bust.
Now, let’s say Poles trades back. Let’s say he drops to Pick 40 — early second round. He picks up extra draft capital and he drafts a player there.
The cost for that Pick 40 contract? $12 million.
Do the math. That is a $7 million difference. That is a 40% markup for a player who, statistically speaking, has the exact same chance of becoming an All-Pro as the guy you’d take 15 spots later.
Why in the name of Halas would you pay a 40% premium for the same odds?
In the real world, if I tried to sell you a Honda Civic for $30,000 and then told you I had the exact same Civic around the corner for $18,000, you’d look at me like I was insane if I bought the expensive one. Yet NFL teams do this every single year. They fall in love with the “First Round Pick” label. They want the prestige. They want the 5th-year option (which, let’s be honest, is only valuable if the player is actually good, which we’ve established is rare here).
That $7 million in savings? That’s real money. That’s a veteran depth piece. That’s a special teams ace. That’s cap rollover for when we inevitably need to pay Caleb Williams the GDP of a small country.
Spending $19 million on a lottery ticket when you can get it for $12 million is bad business. It’s inefficient. And if Poles wants to build a dynasty, he needs to think like a CFO, not a fan.
The “Need” for Volume
We are not one player away. I know, I know, the team is looking better. 11-6 this season was a incredible. But let’s not pretend this roster is flawless. We saw what happened when injuries hit the secondary. We saw the gaps in the trenches.
The Bears don’t need one savior at Pick 25. They need three solid contributors.
By trading back, you aren’t just saving money — you’re acquiring ammunition. You’re turning one 11% shot into two or three shots. Maybe one of those is a bust. Maybe one is just a special teamer. But if you have three picks in the top 100 instead of just one in the “Dead Zone,” your chances of walking away with a starter skyrocket.
Look at the teams that stay good forever. Look at Baltimore. Look at Philly. Look at what Kansas City does. They don’t panic. They don’t reach. When they sit at the bottom of the first round, they almost always look to move. They let desperate teams come up to grab a QB or a WR, and they happily slide back, collect extra picks, and draft a Pro Bowler in the second round while paying him half the price.
We need to stop trying to be the smartest guy in the room who “sees something nobody else sees” at Pick 25. We need to be the guy who owns the casino. The guy who plays the odds.
The hardest part of this strategy isn’t the math. The math is easy. The math screams “SELL.”
The hardest part is the ego.
It takes guts to trade out of the first round. It’s boring. It kills the draft party vibe. Your buddies are going to text you “WTF is Poles doing?” when the trade alert flashes across the screen. It feels like a retreat.
But great GMs don’t care about your draft party. Great GMs care about January.
Ryan Poles has shown he can be bold — he traded the number one overall pick. He traded for Sweat. He’s not afraid to swing. But this is a different kind of swing. This is the discipline to not swing. This is the discipline to look at a board that has flattened out, realize there is no difference between the guy at 25 and the guy at 45, and exploit the teams that are desperate to make a splash.
Let the New England Patriots or the Broncos waste capital moving up. Let them overpay. Let them eat that $19 million contract for a guy who might be a situational pass rusher at best.
We need to be the team that stockpiles. We need to be the team that builds a roster so deep that one injury doesn’t derail the season.
Final Verdict
If the Bears stay at 25, I’ll root for the kid. Obviously. I’ll watch the highlights, I’ll talk myself into his potential, and I’ll hope he defies the odds.
But deep down? I’ll know we got played.
We got played by the allure of the first round. We got played by the fear of missing out. We got played by the inability to do simple math.
The “Dead Zone” is real. It’s where value goes to die. It’s where GMs get fired because they bet their jobs on coin flips that cost a premium.
Ryan Poles has a chance to ace this test. He has a chance to show the league that the Bears aren’t just lucky — they’re smart. They’re calculated.
Trade the pick. Save the cash. Stack the deck.
It’s not sexy. It won’t win the headlines the next morning. But three years from now, when we have three starters contributing to a Super Bowl run instead of one expensive bust warming the bench? We’ll look back at Pick 25 and thank god we sold it.
Am I crazy? Or is the math just that obvious? You tell me.
May 26, 2011; Chicago, IL, USA; Miami Heat guard Dwyane Wade (3) watches as forward LeBron James (6) hugs Chicago Bulls guard Derrick Rose (right) after game five of the eastern conference finals of the 2011 NBA playoffs at the United Center. The Heat won 83-80. Mandatory Credit: Jerry Lai-USA TODAY Sports
Saturday night featured one of the most emotional and nostalgic nights in Chicago in quite some time. The United Center was rocking, fresh off a buzzer-beating win over the Boston Celtics courtesy of Kevin Huerter’s corner three-point basket with under one second remaining in regulation, and the excitement didn’t end there. Derrick Rose, one of the most legendary icons in franchise history, saw his jersey lifted into the rafters in front of hundreds of family members, friends, teammates, and coaches. One of the topics raised last week during preparations for his ceremony was that Rose’s rise to stardom coincided with the early stages of superteam formation in the NBA. During an interview with 670 The Score, the former MVP was asked why he was never the aggressor in recruiting other All-Star-caliber talent to the Windy City, to which he offered a predictable, but admirable answer. Stacey King commented on Rose’s opinion, offered insight, and explained why LeBron James was never invited to play in Chicago.
Loyalty To His Brothers
The main driver behind Rose’s lack of recruitment was his bond with his teammates. As was made extremely evident on Saturday night, that team and era of Bulls basketball had a bond that’s rarely found in sports. When a player has a ceremony or honor, such as a jersey retirement, it’s common to see a few former players or coaches in attendance. For Rose, there were hundreds. His speech was one of the longest of recent memory, nearly 22 minutes, mostly because he had to shout out and specifically thank or reference a plethora of relationships that are still tightly knit today and contributed to his success. Luol Deng, Joakim Noah, Kirk Hinrich, Taj Gibson, and Kyle Korver were just a few of the names in attendance.
Derrick Rose’s former teammates showed up to celebrate his jersey retirement 👏
As King mentions in his podcast episode, bringing in All-Star-level talent or other players meant replacing current players, which D-Rose was unwilling to do.
Stacey talks about Derrick Rose, and his loyalty to his team taking priority over recruiting LeBron James🌹
We also talk the importance of Thibs speaking up and giving D Rose his flowers❤️
— Gimme The Hot Sauce Podcast (@gimmehotsauce21) January 27, 2026
LeBron And Superteams
LeBron James will always be considered one of the greatest basketball players of all time. That being said, there are a few asterisks. He was the first all-time great to continually hand-pick his rosters, jump from franchise to franchise, and openly speak about what the team should do to improve its roster, leaving dozens of former teammates and coaches sour on the experience. Rose, much like Jordan, chose to put his nose down and work hard with the players he was given, to persevere despite what he may have agreed or disagreed with, and to reject the growing trend of All-NBA talents joining forces to overcome adversity. If it wasn’t for a slew of devastating injuries that quickly derailed his career shortly after becoming one of the league’s best, Rose may have some hardware to validate his loyalty.
"For a 6-8 year stretch, him and LeBron were battling for who was the best player in the game."
Oct 12, 2024; Champaign, Illinois, USA; Illinois Fighting Illini offensive lineman J.C. Davis (74) in the first half against the Purdue Boilermakers at Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Ron Johnson-Imagn Images
Ryan Poles is a scout at heart. He’s always going to be where the action is during the pre-draft process. There was no way he was going to miss attending the Senior Bowl in Mobile, Alabama, this week. The first practice took place on Tuesday. It didn’t take long to find Poles in his usual spot, watching the one-on-one drills between the offensive and defensive linemen. This shouldn’t be a surprise. Chicago has needs in both areas, and there is a strong possibility one of the players in those drills will be wearing navy blue by the end of April.
While a number of defensive linemen stood out during the action, one offensive tackle stole a few moments of his own. That was Illinois’ J.C. Davis. Going into this past season, most draft experts saw a developmental tackle with lots of talent but not enough polish. Based on what he showed in drills, he’s come a long way. His size, quick feet, and strong hands made it difficult for rushers to get by him. Poles was watching carefully. The Bears GM loves big, athletic tackles. Davis fits that profile to perfection.
#Bears GM Ryan Poles was watching the OL/DL one-on-one reps. #Missouri EDGE Zion Young was one of the standouts. #Illinois OT JC Davis had a few good reps too,
Ryan Poles will likely take a left tackle in the draft at some point.
Chicago is in a tricky spot at the position. Ozzy Trapilo had become their starter midway through the season and was playing well. Sadly, a torn patella ended his year in the wild card round. He is unlikely to return until after the 2026 season has already begun. Even worse is that both Braxton Jones and Theo Benedet are free agents. Right now, the Bears have no definitive starter for opening day this September. It is possible they will bring back Benedet and sign a free agent, but that isn’t guaranteed to solve anything.
There is a strong possibility Ryan Poles and head coach Ben Johnson will go back to the draft to seek out help. Davis would be right up their wheelhouse. His natural pass-protecting skill alone makes him an attractive option. His 330 lbs frame should also lend itself well to Johnson’s run-first attack. Current projections have Davis going early on day three of the draft. However, a strong week in Mobile will likely push him into day two. Don’t be shocked if the Bears target him in the 2nd or 3rd rounds.
Dec 27, 2025; Jacksonville, FL, USA; Missouri Tigers defensive end Zion Young (9) looks on before a play against the Virginia Cavaliers in the first half at EverBank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Travis Register-Imagn Images
Helping the defense will be priority one for the Chicago Bears going into 2026. Ranking 29th overall and 23rd in points allowed won’t cut it if you want to win a championship. That means defensive coordinator Dennis Allen will have a strong voice in the scouting process alongside GM Ryan Poles. It may also mark the first time since 2018 that the Bears select a defensive player in the 1st round. If that is the case, one name they may want to start paying attention to is Zion Young from Missouri.
The defensive end had a breakout season in 2025, collecting 6.5 sacks and 16.5 tackles for a loss. The big concern with him was his lack of pass rush moves, which had held him back through his first three years in college. It appears he made strides in that department. He’s 6’5, 262 lbs, has plenty of power, and is a standout athlete. All of that was on display at the Senior Bowl, where he spent practice dominating every offensive tackle he lined up against. It wasn’t a fair fight.
Zion Young is the exact type of player Allen covets.
One thing we’ve learned about the Bears’ defensive coordinator is that he covets size. He likes his defensive linemen big and long. That is why they pursued Dayo Odeyingbo in free agency and drafted Shemar Turner in the 2nd round. Unfortunately, neither of them managed to become major contributors, primarily due to season-ending injuries. It isn’t hard to imagine the Bears adding another body to the mix, and the 1st round feels like the perfect place to get one.
Most experts projected Zion Young as a solid 2nd round option when the pre-draft process began. If he continues looking like he has for the rest of Senior Bowl week, he will immediately boost himself into the 1st round conversation. Chicago selects 25th overall. It wouldn’t be a stretch to imagine they’d have Young circled on their board for that spot. He is an evolving pass rusher who was already a capable run defender. Allen covets such versatility. Keep the name in mind.
Jan 4, 2026; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Chicago Bears tight end Colston Loveland (84) celebrates with running back Kyle Monangai (25) after scoring a touchdown against the Detroit Lions during the second half at Soldier Field. Mandatory Credit: Matt Marton-Imagn Images
History shows that every great Chicago Bears era was kicked off by a great draft class. The 1940s dynasty was spearheaded by their 1939 class of Sid Luckman, Bill Osmanski, and Ray Bray. The 1980s run of dominance was in large part thanks to their 1983 draft class, featuring Jimbo Covert, Dave Duerson, and Richard Dent. As for the 2000s, that 2003 class, headlined by Charles Tillman and Lance Briggs, put them over the top. Based on early returns, it feels like the 2025 class might enter that same conversation for the Bears in the not-so-distant future.
The first draft, with the partnership of Ben Johnson and Ryan Poles, delivered a home run. According to historical records, the Chicago Bears became the first team in the Super Bowl era to produce three rookies who finished with at least 650 yards from scrimmage. Colston Loveland (711), Luther Burden (689), and Kyle Monangai (947) were all crucial to the team’s playoff push. Loveland was especially fun to watch, dominating games down the stretch and looking like a budding superstar.
Only team in the Super Bowl era to have three rookies with 650+ scrimmage yards each
This revelation has to feel surreal for the Chicago Bears.
Keep in mind, this goes back 60 years. In all those years, many draft classes have produced several excellent offensive players. Some even produced multiple Hall of Famers. Yet none of them saw so many rookie produce at a high level so quickly. That is a testament both to the three players mentioned and Johnson’s coaching staff. This doesn’t even include left tackle Ozzy Trapilo, who was playing some really good football before his knee injury against Green Bay in the wild card game.
Nobody can say for sure how high this class will ascend. Many factors play into it. However, with Johnson calling plays and Caleb Williams at quarterback, there is a realistic scenario in which this group achieves success for years to come. The Chicago Bears could also build on that success with stronger drafts. If Johnson and Poles could do this for an opener, there is no telling what they may accomplish with more time together. It is crazy to imagine this is where the Bears are.
Jan 26, 2026; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Chicago Bulls guard Ayo Dosunmu (11) warms up before an NBA game against the Los Angeles Lakers at United Center. Mandatory Credit: Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images
For the past two weeks, reports have been flying left and right, specifically about two Chicago Bulls players. The number of news outlets and rumors referencing Coby White and Ayo Dosunmu is in the dozens, with many giving mixed signals on how the next two weeks will unfold, how the Bulls are treating each player, and how much interest each is drawing. Two sources this afternoon provided the clearest picture of the situation yet, and, thankfully for Chicago fans, it leans in one direction. These were the two updates, and why Bulls fans can take a collective sigh of relief.
Bulls Prefer Dosunmu Over White
Per NBA reporter Evan Sidery, the Chicago Bulls have chosen their preferred guard of the future. Josh Giddey and Matas Buzelis have been well documented as the two cornerstones the franchise is building around, and in a year full of expiring contracts and roster uncertainty, the Bulls have reportedly picked their third piece. Ayo Dosunmu, over Coby White, will be the third asset that Arturas Karnisovas and company aim to construct the future around. This doesn’t come as much of a surprise to Bulls fans, as Dosunmu has separated himself this season as the more efficient, well-rounded player. His defense, positional versatility, flexibility in role, and ability to play off the bench or in limited minutes, and scoring efficiency have been impressive. With White’s salary expected to triple this summer, the Bulls have opted to move on.
The Bulls are more likely to trade Coby White than Ayo Dosunmu before the deadline.
Chicago is strongly considering signing Dosunmu to an extension this summer rather than trading him.
White has generated strong interest during trade season from a handful of contending teams. pic.twitter.com/8AuCHupcUQ
While Arturas Karnisovas’s decision to remain steady in pursuit of the postseason is mostly a negative for Chicago, there is one silver lining. This means that he will be unwilling to part ways with Dosunmu, who has been as crucial an asset to winning as any roster piece. This also means that he won’t be dealing with White for crumbs, and that a bidding war will have to take place between contending organizations. The Minnesota Timberwolves and New Orleans Pelicans have been mentioned, but there are always surprise candidates who slide in with hopes of altering their future. White is a proven 20-point-per-game scoring guard who has been healthy for most of his career. One thing that should excite Chicago is a valuable package in return for his departure.
Coby White continues to show off very serious scoring + playmaking pop…
95th percentile O-DPM this season. Big time impact. Intrigued to see if he stays a Bull or what the potential trade package is. pic.twitter.com/1QeBNMQrui
Thankfully, these reports virtually confirm that Dosunmu will be staying put, and that if anyone is traded, it’ll be White. The hope now is that he continues to ascend in his performances over the next week and that his price tag is higher than it’s been all season as the clock nears zero on the trade deadline.
Jul 26, 2023; Bronx, New York, USA; New York Mets starting pitchers Justin Verlander (35) and Max Scherzer (21) watch from the dugout during the sixth inning against the New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports
With spring training quickly approaching, adding a veteran starting pitcher remains one of the top priorities for the White Sox to wrap up the offseason. Several free agent pitchers are still available, including future Hall of Famers Justin Verlander and Max Scherzer. The pair have recently been linked as possible fits for the White Sox by Jon Morosi of MLB Network.
The oldest active player in MLB, Verlander will be 43 on Opening Day. He hasn’t slowed down much with age, however, as he put together a respectable 2025 season with the Giants. While his 4-11 record isn’t anything to write home about, the veteran right-hander recorded a 3.85 ERA, 3.85 FIP, and 1.36 WHIP with 137 strikeouts over 152 innings across 29 starts with San Francisco in 2025. It is also worth noting that he improved as the season went on, posting a 2.99 ERA and 1.30 WHIP in his final 14 starts.
Scherzer didn’t experience the same level of success in 2025 as his former rotation mate. In 17 regular season starts with the Blue Jays, the 41-year-old recorded a 5.19 ERA, 4.99 FIP, and 1.29 WHIP, some of the worst numbers of his career. Still, his ability to miss bats remained intact, as he struck out nearly a batter an inning. He was also more effective in the postseason, pitching to a 3.77 ERA across 14.1 innings.
Inexperienced Starting Rotation
Shane Smith, Davis Martin, and the newly signed Anthony Kay figure to have secure spots in the White Sox starting rotation to open the season. Sean Burke, Sean Newcomb, Jonathan Cannon, and Duncan Davitt will likely be in the mix to earn rotation spots in spring training as well. Regardless of how the rotation competition shakes out following spring training, it will be a very young group with limited MLB track records.
With the youth and volatility of the starting rotation in mind, adding a veteran starter to provide stability and innings in the first half of the season seems like a good idea. Lucas Giolito, Chris Bassitt, Zack Littell, José Quintana, and Nick Martinez are other free agents who remain unsigned, but if experience is what the White Sox want, they won’t find anyone who fits the bill better than Verlander or Scherzer. Both have accomplished everything there is to accomplish, including winning multiple Cy Young Awards, World Series titles, and a variety of other personal accolades.
Logical Fits
Verlander or Scherzer would serve multiple purposes for the White Sox. The most obvious is providing innings and stability to a rotation with significant uncertainty. The team needs a veteran who can pitch deep into games, and either should be able to do that even in the tail end of their career. Beyond the on-field contributions, their presence on the team would be invaluable. Learning from and picking the brains of a future first-ballot Hall of Famer could pay long-term dividends for the team’s young pitchers.
It’s also not unreasonable to say that either could become a trade chip at the deadline should they pitch well in the first half, which could bring the White Sox more young talent via trade and pave the way for the likes of Drew Thorpe, Noah Schultz, Hagen Smith, Tanner McDougal, and others to join the rotation in the second half of the season.
It seems to be more speculation than anything on Morosi’s part regarding the White Sox interest in either pitcher, as he also mentioned the Orioles, Padres, and Guardians as other potential landing spots in the segment. It’s fair to question if either Verlander or Scherzer would even consider signing with a rebuilding team like the White Sox given that they are at the tail end of their careers and would most likely prefer to sign with a contender. Scherzer in particular could be a tough sell, as it has been reported that he may wait until later in the season to sign with a team.
Calculated Gamble
The White Sox cleared $20 million off their books by trading Luis Robert Jr., creating flexibility in which Morosi noted. Even with half of that money now reallocated to recent free agent signing Seranthony Domínguez, the team should still have financial wiggle room to add a starting pitcher. Verlander or Scherzer fit the bill of what the team appears to be looking for and could be intriguing options on a one-year deal.
