The Chicago Bulls may not want to admit it, but they are jumping head-first into a rebuild.

My plan is to eventually revisit these rankings at some point during the season, as we all know a lot can change during a rebuild. The Chicago Bulls may not want to admit it, but they are jumping head-first into a rebuild.

While Zach LaVine and Nikola Vucevic may be on the roster, the clear goal for the franchise heading into this season is to prioritize development over wins and losses. They have moved on from two of their elder statesman to add a 21-year-old jumbo guard and a 19-year-old rookie. Meanwhile, there is a lot of talk about the continued growth of Coby White and Ayo Dosunmu.
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With the team now in this position, I thought we should rank the players who can be considered the organization’s current “building blocks.” I tried to consider both the ceiling of the player and how much they’ve shown us thus far. For example, while Matas Buzelis may be one the most exciting and high-upside pieces on this roster, I still think he falls behind several names because of the fact that we have yet to see him take the floor. 1. Coby White

Who else would start this list?

Coby White might as well be the face of the Bulls’ franchise heading into this season. Now, does that mean he’s THE player the organization should build around? No. But he is the player who will enter this season with the most momentum and the most hype.
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Indeed, the 24-year-old was about the only thing that went right for the Chicago Bulls during the 2023-24 campaign. After years of seeing his role change and the direction of the team shift, White finally looked comfortable. He started 78 of his 79 games and averaged career-highs across the board. The exciting speed and sharpshooting that tantalized many at UNC were on full display, but what was most encouraging was the elevated playmaking, ball-handling, and defensive intensity.

Many believed White should have received the league’s coveted Most Improved Player Award after finishing the year averaging 19.1 points, 5.1 assists, and 4.5 rebounds. He fully ran with the opportunity that opened up once Zach LaVine began his injury trouble, and he didn’t take a back seat when LaVine was briefly able to return either. With that in mind, he projects to hold arguably the biggest role on the team this upcoming season regardless of LaVine’s situation.

White’s off-the-bounce scoring ability combined with his lethal catch-and-shoot stroke (37.6 percent on 7.0 3PAs last season) could make him one of the most dynamic scoring guards in the league. Before everything came together last year, White’s ceiling felt like a glorified sixth man. Think in the realm of guys like Jason Terry and Lou Williams. Fast forward to now, and White feels like a clear-cut starter who may even have a strong enough all-around game to sniff All-Star consideration. Think of players like CJ McCollum or Fred VanVleet.