3 Coby White trades the Chicago Bulls should make
By Joe Mullinax
2. Houston Rockets
Chicago Bulls receive: David Nwaba, 2023 first-round pick (via Milwaukee), 2024 first-round pick via Brooklyn (Lottery protected, becomes 2024 2nd round pick (via Golden State) and 2025 second-round pick (via Houston) if not conveyed).
Houston Rockets receive: Coby White
In the same mindset as the Memphis deal, the Bulls look to a future where they will need more cost-effective talent while balancing the need to compete now. Look no further than David Nwaba, who was very much not part of what the Houston Rockets were trying to do last season in terms of development.
Nwaba struggled, to be sure — he posted a career-worst minus-0.4 on/off number for Houston last season, meaning the Rockets were 0.4 points worse per 100 possessions when he was playing. But read that sentence again — a minus-0.4 was the worst mark of his career. Prior to that, every time Nwaba logged over 600 minutes in a season his on/off was a positive, with the lowest number being +1.9 over 1,600 minutes played for the … Chicago Bulls in the 2017-18 season.
He has a history of being a winning player (as well as an injured one), and with only $5 million owed him this coming season (and a full team option the following year) the main focus of this trade for Chicago would be the future assets, especially the first-round pick from the Bucks in 2023 which is unprotected. Of course, Milwaukee should be in the title mix again next season, but all it takes is one injury you don’t wish on anyone and things get interesting.
For Houston, White is worth taking a flyer on — especially if they are not using any first-round pick that figures to be in the top-20 if things go as they’re supposed to. Coby White can be a reserve guard that can score for the Rockets, and while his assist percentage certainly could be better (31st percentile) he has shown growth in terms of his assist to usage rate as well as his turnover rate, which dropped almost four full percentage points this past season.
At 22 years old, he fits the Rockets’ timeline. He could be a solid player offensively alongside either Jalen Green or Kevin Porter Jr., and the Bulls take a player back that has helped them before, is elite in the “stocks” and rebounding for his position group category like Melton is, and if he flames out they can get out of the contract while using additional draft capital to add to their roster in a variety of ways.