1 Bulls free agent who could join Raptors after play-in tournament

The Toronto Raptors are in a position to make some substantial upgrades in the offseason, irrespective of how their play-in tournament matchup with the Chicago Bulls ends up. Masai Ujiri is well aware of the shortcomings that this team has had this season, mostly due to suspect guard depth.

While the draft is widely regarded as average due to the lack of star players that don’t have considerable baggage, the role player market is teeming with players that can come right in, make an impact, and not break the bank while doing so. One of them is on the Bulls right now.

Chicago originally selected Coby White high in the NBA Draft with the thought of him becoming a franchise point guard, but that hasn’t materialized. With Chicago doubling down on their new backcourt, White is in need of a fresh start to revitalize his career.

While White is a restricted free agent, the combination of Chicago’s guard depth and his own stagnant performance might make the Bulls less inclined to match a potential offer for him. He’s not perfect, but he’d immediately be the best bench point guard on the Raptors by a mile.

Toronto Raptors free agency: Masai Ujiri must pursue Coby White.

White’s scoring may have fallen from 15.1 points per game two years ago to just 9.7 this season, but that number isn’t as alarming when you see that his efficiency was almost identical from both inside and outside the 3-point arc. With a lack of opportunity, the average plummeted.

With Gary Trent Jr. and Fred VanVleet both free agents, it remains unlikely that both of them will be retained. As such, Toronto needs to make a premium investment in their backcourt, of which White could be a huge part if the Raptors are sold on his offensive potential.

The Raptors may like Jeff Dowtin, but not enough to give him a real NBA contract before the postseason. While this draft is full of guards who can come in and make an impact, White could be high on Toronto’s list of potential additions if Ujiri goes elsewhere in the draft.

White is not a one-stop fix for all of Toronto’s issues, but the Raptors will have enough money to compensate him well and give him a defined role with a steady diet of offensive opportunities if they can pilfer him away.