The Bulls’ magical trade proposal adds Kobe White to a talented young core

The The Orlando Magic made that clear last offseason that they couldn’t wait to take the next step on their path to strife. They traded a royal buyout for future draft picks to bring in Desmond Bain, hoping he’ll be the scorer the team desperately needs amid their struggles on the offensive end the last few seasons.

But it became apparent that Orlando needed more than Bain to capitalize on its opportunity in the wide-open Eastern Conference. The injury bug wasn’t kind to the Magic once again, as Paolo Banchero, Franz Wagner and Jalen Suggs — their three franchise guys — all missed time. In fact, Wagner is out for at least a few more weeks, while Suggs was dealing with a hip injury in the last few weeks.

This could prompt the Magic to make a trade to further bolster the team, and they have reportedly been linked with potential trade for Chicago Bulls guard Kobe White. White is in the final year of his contract, and with Chicago once again treading the line of mediocrity, this could be the year they decide to cash in on White as a trade asset.

However, trading Bane depleted Orlando’s trade assets, making them undesirable in any trade scenario for White. Still, here’s a trade proposal that could convince Chicago to give them their explosive guard.

Magically boosted backfield with Cobi White trade

Magic take over: Coby White, Jevon Carter

Bulls acquire: Jonathan Isaac, Jett Howard, 2026 DET/MIL second round pick, 2027 ORL second pick, 2028 ORL second pick

The Magic loved Jonathan Isaac from day one, and it’s not hard to see why. Isaac, when healthy, is one of the best defenders in the NBA. He is able to guard anyone from one to five, and that description is not hyperbole. He can really skate with his feet even on faster guards, and he can protect the rim and even go toe-to-toe with the beasts that have stepped up.

But Isaac has lost so much development money throughout his career to injuries, and it appears that the Magic team has already outgrown him. And Orlando, of all teams, would know how much care must be taken to prevent Isaac from suffering another long-term injury. Fans must remember that Isaac missed two full seasons (2020-21 and 2021-22) and played just 11 games during the 2022-23 campaign.

Still, the Magic know how elite he is defensively, even though he can no longer log heavy minutes due to his injury history. So, lubricating it to a five-year, $84 million contract made sense at the time (mid 2024).

However, in today’s CBA landscape, the bill comes due pretty quickly for teams on the rise. Suggs, a 2021 draftee, signed a five-year, $150.5 million contract. Wagner, another 2021 recruit, signed a staggering five-year supermax contract that could be worth as much as $270 million. And then there’s Banchero, the first overall pick in 2022. He’s the Magic’s franchise player, so anything other than signing him to a five-year, $239 million deal would be pointless.

The addition of Bain, who signed a five-year, $207 million contract with the Memphis Grizzlies back in 2023, further complicated things for the Magic. Those four players alone will command a combined valuation of around $156 million.

Time is ticking on Magicand it looks like Isaac will give in to the cap rescue maneuver. To that end, Orlando could also land a quality return player and target White, someone who can provide scoring from the perimeter to help their cause amid injuries to Wagner and Suggs.

White is unlikely to stay in Orlando long-term given the Magic’s waterlogged situation, but ClutchPoints NBA insider Brett Siegel mentioned that the Magic “would be willing to move on Jonathan Isaac and a second-round pick to add scoring depth.” White would be nothing more than a rental, but if Orlando does end up trading him, they shouldn’t do it just for the sake of meeting future obligations.

The Magic started Anthony Black and Tyus Jones in the backcourt due to injuries to Wagner and Suggs. Black has been good all year and is making a jump in year three, but Jones is better suited to be a backup quarterback at this point. His inconsistency can be very infuriating, and his plus-minus numbers have been poor all year. According to PBP statistics, the net rating of the Magic this season is worse by 13 points whenever Jones is on the floor.

It’s not exactly an ideal situation for a Magic team looking to compete for a title this year. White won’t be the figure to take them over the top, but he’s an incredible depth piece, a great sixth man when Orlando gets their core players, and acquiring his rights to Bird means they at least open up the possibility of keeping White as a trade tool.

As far as the Bulls are concerned, this trade is an admission that their current core isn’t good enough and that White is a legitimate flight risk given that he’s in the final year of his contract. Chicago has been hovering in and around a playoff spot for the past few seasons, and losing another quality piece will do nothing to help their cause in their ongoing rebuild.

Alas, this comeback will not (and should not) be enough for the Bulls. They’ll want at least one first-round pick in any White trade, especially when White is only 25 years old and has proven to be one of the top scoring machines in the NBA, averaging 21.4 points per game so far this season.

Isaac could be a nice defensive piece for a team starving them, Jett Howard could become something, a breakout wing, while three second round picks are nothing to scoff at. But in the end, the Magic simply may not have the assets to entice the Bulls to trade White to Orlando. That doesn’t mean they shouldn’t try anymore.