Bulls ready to follow Kobe White, could be Jakob Poelt’s destination

Until the NBA trade deadline is two days away on Thursday, February 5th Chicago Bulls looks like he’s ready to stay active after their recent lineup change, with the guard Coby White which emerges as a potential next piece in the movement and Toronto Raptors center Jakob Poeltl emerging as a possible target.

Chicago began making changes to its roster on Tuesday by acquiring Jaden Ivey and Mike Conley in a three-team deal with the Detroit Pistons and Minnesota Timberwolves, excluding Kevin Huerter and Dario Saric. Saric was acquired in a special case three-team trade with the Cleveland Cavaliers and Sacramento Kings over the weekend.

Later in the day, The Bulls continued their overhaul by trading Nikola Vucevic and a second-round pick to the Boston Celtics in exchange for guard Anfernee Simmons and a second-round pick. Following those moves, discussions around the league have increasingly focused on Kobe White’s future as Chicago continues to explore broader restructuring options.

ClutchPoints NBA Insider Brett Siegel addressed the situation on Tuesday’s latest episode of ClutchScoops, outlining how White and Poeltl could affect the upcoming deadline.

“Continuing conversations with the Bulls is that Kobe White will be moved before the trade deadline, and they’re also another team that appears in the Jakob Poeltl negotiations in terms of Toronto potentially trading for Domantas Sabonis and Jakob Poeltl potentially going to the Bulls with draft compensation,” Siegel said. “And maybe Kobe White is included in that trade. So there’s still a lot of moving parts for the Bulls.”

2/3/26 — Jackson Jr. Traded? James Harden next? Latest NBA data from @TomerAzarli & @BrettSiegelNBA https://t.co/Jezmk8DgP4

— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) February 3, 2026

Kobe White’s contract status, Jakob Poltl’s availability shape the Bulls’ trade deadline

White, 25, has been one of Chicago’s most productive guards this season. He is averaging 18.5 points, 4.8 assists and 3.5 rebounds per game while shooting 43.9% from the field and 35% from 3-point range in 28 appearances, including 25 starts. White logged 29 minutes per contest and continued to play a significant offensive role amid recent changes in Chicago.

By contract, white enters the key piece. He is in the final year of a three-year, $36 million deal and is making $12.8 million this season before becoming a free agent this summer. That financial flexibility, paired with his age and production, made him an attractive trade asset as the deadline approaches.

Poeltl, meanwhile, has attracted interest despite limited recent availability. The 30-year-old center is averaging 9.7 points, 7.7 rebounds and 2.1 assists per game while shooting a career-best 69.3 percent from the field in 21 games this season. He hasn’t played since Toronto’s 96-81 loss to the Brooklyn Nets on Dec. 21 because of ongoing back issues, but recently approved for contactaccording to Sportsnet’s Michael Grange.

On July 1, Poeltl signed a three-year, $84 million contract that begins in the 2027-28 season. He is making $19.5 million this season and next, a number that could have a significant impact at either deadline.

As Thursday’s deadline approaches, Chicago’s direction looks increasingly fluid, with White and Poeltl two key names to watch as negotiations continue.