The Chicago Bulls started this season 5-0, their best opening since the Michael Jordan era. For a few glorious weeks, the narrative shifted. Maybe this group could compete. Maybe the youth movement was ahead of schedule.
Then reality hit.
The Bulls endured a seven-game losing streak and have gone just 5-15 since that perfect start. At 10-15, they sit 11th in the Eastern Conference, struggling to beat even teams below .500. What looked like momentum has dissolved into the same familiar pattern: flashes of competence followed by extended mediocrity.
Now, with the February 5 trade deadline approaching and seven players on expiring contracts, the Bulls face a decision that will define the next chapter of this franchise.
The Core Question Nobody Wants to Answer
Coby White is averaging 22.1 points per game this season. Ayo Dosunmu is putting up career highs across the board. Both are 25 years old. Both are on team-friendly deals. Both will be unrestricted free agents this summer.
And both are generating significant trade interest.
According to multiple reports, White has drawn attention from the Minnesota Timberwolves, who are actively searching for a point guard and want a deal done before the deadline. Dosunmu has attracted even more inquiries, with teams viewing him as a versatile guard who can fit into any system.
The problem? The Bulls reportedly love both players. They fit the timeline. They've improved every year. They're exactly the kind of young talent a rebuilding team should want to keep.
But loving a player doesn't mean you can afford to keep them—especially when they're months away from walking for nothing.
History Has a Way of Repeating
This isn't unfamiliar territory for Artūras Karnišovas and the Bulls front office.
They've been here before with Lonzo Ball, DeMar DeRozan, and Alex Caruso. Each time, the organization hesitated. Each time, they waited too long to maximize value. Each time, they ended up with less than they could have gotten if they'd acted decisively.
The Bulls could let White, Dosunmu, Nikola Vučević, Kevin Huerter, Zach Collins, Jevon Carter, and Dalen Terry all walk this summer. That would give them close to $70 million in cap space to spend in free agency.
But on what? The 2026 free agent class is underwhelming. And even with flexibility, this front office has shown little ability to convert cap space into meaningful roster improvements.
The alternative is to move these players now—to turn expiring contracts into draft picks, young talent, or future assets that can accelerate a rebuild that's been stuck in neutral for years.
The White Decision
White turned down an extension last offseason, betting on himself to earn a bigger payday. It was the right move. He finished second in Most Improved Player voting last season and has continued to develop into a legitimate scoring threat.
But the Bulls' backcourt is crowded. Josh Giddey is a restricted free agent this summer, and all indications are that Chicago plans to re-sign him. Dosunmu is locked in through next season. And Zach LaVine—despite endless trade rumors—remains on the roster with two years left on his deal.
Something has to give.
The Timberwolves reportedly want to move quickly, and White would give them the ball-handling and scoring they desperately need alongside Anthony Edwards. For the Bulls, moving White now could bring back young talent or draft capital while avoiding the financial commitment required to keep him long-term.
It's not an easy call. But it's a necessary one.
Dosunmu Might Be the Better Asset
If the Bulls are going to move one of their young guards, Dosunmu might actually be the smarter play.
He's generating more trade interest than White, according to league sources. His efficiency, defense, and versatility make him an attractive piece for contending teams. And unlike White, Dosunmu is signed through next season, giving acquiring teams more control.
The Lakers reportedly showed interest this summer, and other playoff-caliber teams have made inquiries. If Chicago can land a strong return for Dosunmu—draft picks, a young prospect, or both—it could give them more flexibility to build around Giddey and whatever direction they choose next.
The downside? Dosunmu is exactly the kind of player rebuilding teams regret losing. He does everything well, fits any system, and is just entering his prime. Trading him feels like giving up on a proven piece to chase uncertainty.
But that's the reality of this roster. The Bulls can't keep everyone. And if they try, they'll end up with nothing.
A Front Office Without Conviction
The most frustrating part of this situation isn't that the Bulls are stuck between competing and rebuilding. It's that they've been stuck there for five years.
Karnišovas has never fully committed to either path. He's never blown it up completely, and he's never gone all-in on a win-now roster. Instead, the Bulls have existed in this gray area—good enough to avoid the bottom, not good enough to matter in the playoffs.
The 2025-26 season was supposed to be different. A young core. A clean slate. A chance to finally build something sustainable.
But here we are again. Same questions. Same hesitation. Same inability to make the tough call.
Time to Choose
The Bulls have six weeks until the trade deadline.
They can move White or Dosunmu and start collecting the assets needed to build a real foundation. They can move Vučević and fully embrace the youth movement. They can turn this season into something productive by positioning themselves for the future.
Or they can do what they've done for the last half-decade: wait, hesitate, and convince themselves that flexibility is the same thing as progress.
History suggests they'll choose the latter. The pattern is too familiar. The front office's track record is too consistent.
But the cost of inaction has never been higher. White and Dosunmu are valuable now. In six months, they could be gone. And the Bulls will be right back where they started—rebuilding a rebuild, searching for the conviction to finally commit to a direction.
The pieces are on the table. The phone lines are open. The decision is staring them in the face.
Now it's time to make it.