Challenges for Josh Giddey’s Bulls Amid Trade Deadline Setbacks

The Chicago Bulls, led by Josh Giddey, have faced another setback following an already disappointing trade deadline. One of the second-round picks they acquired has reportedly been revoked.

According to Fred Katz from The Athletic, the Charlotte Hornets discovered that Coby White, whom they traded for, has a left calf injury, sidelining him for some time.

As a consequence, one of the three second-round picks from the White deal will now remain with Charlotte. The Bulls will only keep the second-rounders from the Knicks and Nuggets for 2031.

This development increases the pressure on Bulls GM Arturas Karnisovas, who stated to reporters that the team is “not satisfied with being in the middle” after a busy trade deadline during which they let go of six players.

In the deals, the Bulls traded significant contributors including top scorer Coby White, leading rebounder Nikola Vucevic, and others, in exchange for several guards and additional second-round picks, but the overall return was disappointing.

Chicago’s ongoing struggle reflects a larger pattern, as they moved away from a previous era marked by stars like Zach LaVine and DeMar DeRozan but failed to secure adequate value in trades. The situation worsened due to prior investments in LaVine and DeRozan, making effective trades challenging.

As noted by ESPN analysts, the Bulls have assembled a collection of picks that hold little value. Karnisovas’s repeated statements about not wanting to be in the middle raise questions about the team’s strategy and decision-making approach in recent seasons.