The Chicago Bulls are riding a four-game win streak, and while the wins themselves matter, it’s what’s happening behind the scenes - and in the backcourt - that’s drawing just as much attention.
Thursday night’s victory over the Timberwolves wasn’t just about the final score. It may have also served as a live audition for several Bulls guards, with Minnesota reportedly eyeing backcourt reinforcements ahead of the trade deadline. Among the names drawing interest: Tre Jones, Coby White, and Ayo Dosunmu.
And if the Wolves were indeed watching closely, they saw a little bit of everything.
Tre Jones delivered a clutch layup with just over 30 seconds left to give Chicago the lead - a snapshot of the poised, steady hand he’s brought all season. Jones may not be Minnesota’s top target, but his long-term value is hard to ignore.
He’s under contract for two more seasons beyond this one, giving any team a level of cost certainty that’s rare for a young point guard. With Mike Conley aging out of a full-time starting role, Jones could be the kind of floor general Minnesota quietly needs - a player who won’t wow you with flash but keeps the offense humming.
Then there’s Coby White, who dropped 22 points to go along with four rebounds and four assists. White’s had trouble staying healthy this season, but he’s quietly put together a solid stretch - he hasn’t missed three straight games since early December.
That kind of consistency, combined with his scoring punch, might ease some concerns about his durability. The catch?
His $12.9 million cap hit is the biggest of the three, which could complicate trade mechanics for a team like Minnesota that’s navigating a tight financial picture.
Ayo Dosunmu rounds out the trio, and he may be the cleanest fit from a roster-building standpoint. His $7.5 million salary is easier to match, and his game complements Minnesota’s core well.
He’s a strong defender, capable of guarding up and down the lineup, and his off-ball shooting makes him an ideal partner alongside a ball-dominant star like Anthony Edwards. He may not have the same ceiling as White or the long-term control of Jones, but his two-way versatility could make him the most plug-and-play option of the bunch.
As the trade deadline inches closer, Bulls head coach Billy Donovan isn’t putting too much weight on the next few games to shape the front office’s decision-making. “With the number of guys we have that are going to be free agents at the end of the season, I just think there’s probably going to be conversations they have, but a lot of it is going to be: does it make sense?”
Donovan said. He emphasized that any trade talk is more about opportunity than urgency.
“You have to have partners to do that, right?” he added.
Donovan also noted that he’s in daily communication with VP of basketball operations Artūras Karnišovas and GM Marc Eversley, and that any move the Bulls make will likely come down to the wire. “It seems like all the movement happens the day before or the day of [the deadline],” he said.
While the trade chatter simmers, the Bulls are winning - and a big part of that has been the return of Josh Giddey.
After missing 25 days with a hamstring strain, Giddey has made an immediate impact in his first two games back. Against the Timberwolves, he came off the bench for 21 points, five assists, and six rebounds in just 26 minutes - a reminder of the all-around skillset that makes him such a valuable piece.
“It felt like normal basketball,” Giddey said. “I didn’t feel rusty.
It didn’t feel like I’d been out too long.”
He followed that up with a quieter scoring night against Boston, but still racked up 10 assists and eight boards in 24 minutes. The bigger takeaway?
The Bulls are consistently better when Giddey and White share the floor. That pairing is giving Chicago a blend of playmaking and scoring that’s tough to defend, and it’s something the coaching staff is clearly looking to explore further.
For now, Giddey will continue to come off the bench as he ramps up his minutes, but his role looks poised to grow.
Saturday’s win over the Celtics was already a high note, but the postgame ceremony took it to another level. The Bulls officially retired Derrick Rose’s jersey, making him just the fifth player in franchise history to receive the honor - joining Jerry Sloan, Bob Love, Michael Jordan, and Scottie Pippen.
It was an emotional moment, attended by many of Rose’s former teammates, and a fitting tribute to a player who meant so much to the city and the organization. “We wanted to honor him, but we wanted to take the time to actually really plan something really, really special,” said Bulls president Michael Reinsdorf. “I guess we could have done it last year, but I feel like this is the right way to do it.”
Rose, now retired from the game, spoke about his next chapter - not on the court, but in the business world. “The astute group of people that I’m chasing after, they’re not on the ‘gram,” he said.
“They’re reading. I feel like that’s the sacrifice I have to make right now.
In order to get to my goals, I have to make a gambit move.”
As the Bulls continue to stack wins and weigh their trade deadline options, the past, present, and future of the franchise are all colliding in real time. And if these last few games are any indication, Chicago’s backcourt - whether it stays intact or not - is going to be at the center of it all.