On Tuesday night in Chicago, the Bulls found themselves in a perfect storm of opportunity-and they didn’t waste a second of it. With the Los Angeles Clippers in town, missing Kawhi Leonard (out with a knee issue) and playing on the second night of a back-to-back, the conditions were tailor-made for a Bulls breakout. And breakout they did, steamrolling the Clippers 138-110 in a game that felt even more lopsided than the 28-point final score.
From the opening tip, the Bulls played like a team that knew it had the edge-fresher legs, home court, and a depleted opponent. By the time the fourth quarter rolled around, Clippers head coach Tyronn Lue had seen enough.
With the game well out of reach, he pulled his starters to preserve them for the long haul. The Bulls, meanwhile, kept their foot on the gas.
Coby White, in particular, took full advantage. Still on the floor late in the game, White torched the Clippers’ bench unit, drilling four straight threes in a stretch that turned a rout into a statement. He finished the night with 27 points and six assists, leading all scorers and putting a bow on what might be his most impactful performance of the season.
Coby White went on a 12-2 run on 4 straight threes for the Bulls 🔥pic.twitter.com/eC79a5EenT
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) January 21, 2026
Here’s where it gets interesting: White has reportedly been on the Clippers’ radar as a potential trade target. If Tuesday was an audition, it was the kind that leaves front offices scrambling to check the tape. He looked confident, composed, and completely in control-exactly the kind of player who can swing a playoff rotation.
The bigger picture for Chicago is still murky. Sitting at 21-22, they’re once again hovering around the play-in zone, a familiar spot for this group in recent seasons.
But with several key players on expiring deals, including White, there’s a sense that the front office may finally be ready to pivot. If the Bulls decide to be sellers at the trade deadline, it won’t be for lack of talent-it’ll be about timing and long-term vision.
Nikola Vucevic and Ayo Dosunmu are also set to hit free agency this summer, and the same goes for Kevin Huerter and Zach Collins. That’s a lot of potential movement for a team that’s been stuck in neutral. The Bulls have decisions to make-ride this group out for another shot at the play-in, or cash in assets now and start building something more sustainable.
Tuesday’s blowout win was a reminder that there’s real talent on this roster. But it was also a window into the kind of value those players might have on the open market. The Bulls dominated a tired, shorthanded Clippers team-and in doing so, might’ve shown the rest of the league exactly what’s available, and what it could cost.