Lately, Chicago Bulls guard Coby Whitehas been the subject of trade rumors. Among the teams that have expressed interest are the Minnesota Timberwolves, Atlanta Hawks, Dallas Mavericks, and Cleveland Cavaliers.
Now, it appears the Los Angeles Clippers are part of a litany of West Coast teamslooking to acquire White, per Brett Siegel of ClutchPoints. Presently, White is in the last year of histhree-year, $36 million deal he signed with Chicago in 2023. Additionally, he has beenbattling an injury-afflicted season due to a calf strain.
“White is in the final year of his contract and will be an unrestricted free agent in the offseason,” Siegel reported. “The Bulls continue to field calls from numerous teams interested in White. The Timberwolves, Dallas Mavericks, and LA Clippers are among several teams from the Western Conference interested in the Bulls guard, sources said.”
As it relates to the Hawks, there has been some talk about them trading Trae Young to make room for White.
“As reported weeks ago following the NBA G League Showcase, league executives have also brought up theHawks as a potential landing spot for Chicago Bulls guard Coby White, ” Siegel reported. “If a move to trade Youngis made, potentially replacing him with the 25-year-old guard would give the Hawks a dynamic scoring guard on the same timeline as their young core.”
So far, White has played in 17 games for Chicago this year. He is averaging 18.4 points and 4.6 assists per game.
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Would Coby White going to the Clippers help them get out of the mess?
There's no getting around the fact that the Clippers are in shambles. Currently, they are 13-22 and stacked with an aging, hobbled team of veterans. The most notable are Kawhi Leonard and James Harden. White, with his dynamic playmaking and consistent scoring, would undoubtedly provide a much-needed spark, per Elias Schuster of Sports Illustrated.
Additionally, he's only 25 years old and brings much-needed youthfulness. Plus, his ability to space the floor can take much of the load off of guys like Harden and Leonard. Also, White couldbe given a long-term contract as the Clippers would see him as a player to build the future around. In the same breath, he could be a high-value rental asset.
Indeed, there would be some risks that go along with that. White isn't exactly known for being a strong defender. Plus, they would have to consider whom they would be willing to relinquish to bring White along. At the same time, there is a risk that he will be around in the short term. Also, the recent injuries could raise legitimate concerns from a playing standpoint.
The NBA Trade Deadlineis scheduled for February 5.