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Scottie Barnes, Toronto Raptors
As a rebuilding team, the Chicago Bulls will likely be open to any and all trade discussions. Arturas Karnisovas will have his limits, of course, but for the most part, keeping an open mind is key to constructing the best young roster possible.
Of course, in order to land a future star, you must be willing to part with some of your top-end talent. And in a recent three-team trade proposal from Alan Goldsher of “Fantasy on SI,” that’s exactly what Chicago does.
Goldsher’s trade idea looks like this:
Bulls Receive: Scottie Barnes
Heat Receive: Coby White, Zach Collins and a lottery-protected 2027 first-round draft pick from the Bulls.
Raptors Receive: Tyler Herro and a lottery-protected 2028 first-round draft pick from the Heat.
Goldsher listed four quick reasons why the Bulls would consider making this deal. “1: The point guard log jam is now unjammed,” Goldsher wrote. “2: Barnes fills the Bulls’ massive hole at the wing. 3: At 24 years old, Barnes fits Chicago’s timeline. 4: The Bulls bean counters won’t have to worry about giving White the hefty extension he richly deserves.”
White has been one of the Bulls’ best offensive weapons in recent years. Last season, he averaged 20.4 points, 3.7 rebounds, and 4.5 assists on 45.3% shooting from the field and 37% from deep.
Bulls Have Tough Decision Over Guard Rotation
Both White and Ayo Dosunmu are entering the final year of their current contracts. Chicago isn’t expected to offer an extension to both of them, as that would commit too much money to the guard rotation. As such, the Bulls could look to move on from one of White or Dosunmu ahead of the February 2026 trade deadline.
During a recent discussion on the “Chicago Lead,” K.C. Johnson shared his thoughts on the Bulls’ upcoming roster decisions.
“From my seat they’ve got to try to look to trade either Ayo [Dosunmu] or Coby [White],” Johnson said. “I think it will be very hard to re-sign both of them after next year when they both hit unrestricted free agency. You’ve got to get out in front of things like that…And, you’ve got to make these hard decisions, because you’re not going to be re-signing Josh Giddey this summer, and Ayo Dosunmu and Coby White after next summer. I just don’t see that.”
Given White’s upside as both a scorer and playmaker, moving him in a deal would likely be easy for the Bulls. Furthermore, the potential return for his services could be greater than what the team would receive in return for Dosunmu.
Toronto Wouldn’t Trade Barnes… Or Would They?
Where Goldsher’s trade idea falls down is the notion that the Raptors would entertain the idea of moving on from Scottie Barnes. In recent years, the front office has made it clear that Barnes is the team’s centerpiece. Everything the Raptors are doing in terms of their rebuild is designed to accentuate Barnes’ overall skill set.
However, all of that messaging came out of Masai Ujiri’s front office. Things are different now. Toronto fired Ujiri on June 27, 2025, after 13 years with the franchise. Without Ujiri’s influence, the Raptors could be open to altering their current approach, which may mean that Barnes would be available at the right price.
In truth, though, Barnes is the best player in Goldsher’s trade proposal, and the Raptors aren’t receiving anywhere near enough in return for such a high-level young talent. And for that reason, you shouldn’t expect a deal with this type of framework to take place.
Adam Taylor is a basketball reporter covering the Boston Celtics and Phoenix Suns for Heavy. He has also written for CelticsBlog, USA Today, Yardbarker and FanSided. Adam has a bachelor’s degree in creative writing from Open University. More about Adam Taylor
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