New Development Means Coby White Will Not Be Traded To This Contender

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.

— Jake Weinbach (@JWeinbachNBA) January 28, 2026

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

— Basketball University (@UofBasketball) January 27, 2026

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?