Coby White is staying with the Chicago Bulls, who are signing the guard to a three-year, $40 million contract, according to NBA insider Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN.
White was a restricted free agent, so he could have met with other teams and signed an offer sheet. However, the Bulls re-signed the UNC product quickly on the first day of free agency.
The Bulls drafted White with the seventh overall pick in the 2019 draft. The 23-year-old has career averages of 12.6 points, 3.4 rebounds and 3.3 assists.
Lonzo Ball is expected to miss the entire 2023-24 season, so White could be the Bulls’ starting point guard. The North Carolina native averaged 9.7 points, 2.9 rebounds and 2.8 assists this past season for Chicago in 74 games while shooting 44.3% from the field, 37.2% from beyond the arc and 87.1% from the free-throw line.
NBA NEWS & RUMORS: Coby White & Chicago Bulls Updates
“Our expectation is that he’s not coming back next season,” Bulls vice president Arturas Karnisovas said on June 22 about Ball. “He’s going to continue on his recovery. If he comes back, it would be great. But we’re just going to treat this offseason and get ready for the season that he’s not going to be back.”
Ball underwent a cartilage transplant in his left knee in March. The UCLA product missed the entire 2022-23 season. Ball signed a four-year, $80 million contract with the Bulls in August 2021 as part of a sign-and-trade deal with the New Orleans Pelicans. The 25-year-old averaged 13.0 points, 5.4 rebounds and 5.1 assists in 2021-22 while shooting 42.3% from the field, 42.3% from beyond the arc, and 75.0% from the free-throw line.
NBA NEWS & RUMORS: Coby White & Chicago Bulls Updates
The Bulls, despite having All-Stars Zach LaVine, DeMar DeRozan and Nikola Vucevic, missed the playoffs in 2023 after making it in 2022. Chicago already re-signed Vucevic to a three-year, $60 million contract, and while LaVine has been in trade talks, the expectation is that the two-time All-Star will be on the Bulls next season.
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