Why Knicks Should Trade for Bulls PG

The New York Knicks have been no stranger to trades in the last few months, but there’s reason to believe the team will have to make one or two big moves in order to truly feel like it is at its peak.

Bleacher Report writer Grant Hughes suggests the idea of trading for Chicago Bulls point guard Coby White.

“White is a quality starter who’d immediately rate as the second-best playmaker on the Knicks. Though he wouldn’t replicate last year’s 19.1 points and 5.1 assists in a bench role, he’d likely improve on last year’s 44.7/37.6/83.8 shooting split if given more reps against backups,” Hughes writes. “[Mitchell] Robinson’s salary and every last shred of draft equity in the Knicks’ war chest might be enough to get a deal done.”

Despite White’s successful season in the 2023-24 campaign, the Bulls traded for Oklahoma City Thunder point guard Josh Giddey and signed him to a long-term deal, suggesting that the Bulls see him as the team’s floor general of the future.

While White could play alongside Giddey, the 24-year-old is not part of the team’s plans beyond the 2025-26 season.

As a player with two years left on his deal, White’s value may never be higher, which could lead to the Bulls trading him this season as opposed to when he is on an expiring deal.

The Knicks would likely have to include the aforementioned Robinson’s contract to match salaries, but it shouldn’t be a surprise if the Bulls ask for Miles McBride in a hypothetical return.

White would be a potential upgrade from McBride in the second unit and he could serve even as a secondary playmaker next to Jalen Brunson in the starting lineup.

It’s a trade that’s unlikely to happen, but it’s a way for the Knicks to get better.

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