Coby White has quickly emerged as a possible trade candidate for the Golden State Warriors this offseason, yet the steep reported price set on the young Chicago Bulls guard may block a deal from taking place.
The Warriors need for more shooting, shot-creation and playmaking makes White not only a strong target, but perhaps the best player they can get in a Jonathan Kuminga sign-and-trade given the Bulls reported interest in the 22-year-old.
But while a White-Kuminga swap could work, Golden State's dream outcome may be to retain their young forward while exploring a separate deal with the Bulls given White makes an easy to match $12.9 million on the final year of his deal.
The Magic reportedly put a big offer to the Bulls for Coby White
With the Bulls looking to re-sign their own restricted free agent in Josh Giddey to a significant new contract, there's growing speculation that White could be available this offseason before he's due for his own enormous pay rise.
The Warriors will be far from the only team interested in White if he does become available, with reports already that the Orlando Magic presented a strong offer to the Bulls prior to their blockbuster trade for Desmond Bane last week.
According to the Locked on Bulls podcast, Orlando offered Cole Anthony, Jonathan Isaac and two first-round picks to Chicago for the 25-year-old. It's unclear if the Bulls rejected that, or if the Magic quickly pulled it off the table to focus their attention on Bane.
Either way, it does provide an indication of what Golden State may have to offer to really get Chicago considering a deal. As we saw in the completion of the Bane trade, Orlando -- knowing they've got young cornerstones in place with Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner -- evidently had no issue with throwing forward their future picks this offseason to immediately upgrade the roster.
If the asking price for White is two first-round picks, that's going to cause much more consideration for the Warriors who have a veteran core and whose future in 3-5 years is far more uncertain. Would they do Moses Moody -- who might hold similar value to Anthony -- and two first-round picks for White?
Golden State might view that as overs given where those picks could land when they convey, and based on what they're going to have to pay White (likely 25+ million per year) to retain him beyond next season.
Few would be arguing that flipping Moody into White would be a strong move for the Warriors to make this offseason, but the question then becomes what else they'd have to add and at what point it tips too far in the Bulls favor.