The Chicago Bulls are riding high into the 2022 All-Star break, winners of five straight games to sit at 38-21 on the season. DeMar DeRozan just made history amid a revelatory campaign after he and the Bulls were panned for the big move for him this past offseason. DeRozan looks like a man on a mission as he leads this squad alongside Zach LaVine and Co.
DeRozan and LaVine are Chicago's two best players and will be the key factors driving this team in the playoffs. DeRozan will try to exorcise some playoff demons, while LaVine will be out to prove he can play on the big stage in his first postseason appearance right before he hits free agency. LaVine will be seeking a max contract this summer.
But these two stars will need help, and there's a young Bull with even more to prove in his third season who could help make or break this team when it matters.
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Bulls player with most to prove after 2022 All-Star break
That player would be Coby White, who has been on a tear of late in support of DeRozan while LaVine has been injured.
White's career has been a roller-coaster ride so far. After going seventh overall in the 2019 NBA Draft, the young guard out of North Carolina has shown stretches of brilliance mixed in with big slumps and struggles as a point guard. Coby White heaters are extremely fun to watch, but there are other times where he looks like he doesn't belong on the court.
White missed the start of this season due to offseason shoulder surgery, and he looked awful when he finally started playing. A bout with COVID-19 didn't help matters.
But, after seemingly hitting rock bottom, White finally started picking up his play right around the time the calendar flipped to 2022. Key injuries to Lonzo Ball and Alex Caruso have pushed White into more minutes, and he has been especially great since last week's trade deadline after not getting dealt. The young guard is averaging 23.3 points, 6.3 rebounds and 4.5 assists while shooting 56.4% from the field and 21-of-33 from 3-point range since the deadline.
On the latest episode of Blue Wire's Cash Considerations pod, White's development is a key focus. The discussion starts at around the 19-minute mark:
As the Bulls move past the All-Star break, White needs to continue his strong play so he can cement a spot in Billy Donovan's playoff rotation. Chicago is deep at guard, and we know Ball and Caruso will return to their normal rotation slots when they're healthy. The emergence of Ayo Dosunmu has given the Bulls another quality backcourt option.
There have been times where it has seemed like White would be the odd man out, but he has to play if he's going to keep performing at this level. His ability to get hot from deep could swing playoff games. The development of the rest of his game has also made him a more valuable player and could help him stay on the court even if he's not making it rain from 3-point range.
This is all especially important for White heading into this offseason when he becomes eligible for a contract extension. Given how deep the Bulls' backcourt is, it's unclear just what the long-term future holds for White. Even if there are plans to trade him down the road, how he performs after the All-Star break could help earn him a nice contract.
So, there's plenty on the line for Coby White the rest of this 2021-22 season. We'll see if he's up for the challenge.
Cash Considerations: A Chicago Bulls Podcast is part of the Blue Wire Podcast Network. The pod can be found on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, Google Podcasts.
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