WASHINGTON — It’s an underlying theme in the Bulls’ locker room these days: Control what you can control.
Coach Billy Donovan talks about it as a mindset on the court, and the players are living it off the court.
Executive vice president of basketball operations Arturas Karnisovas rarely shows a card, let alone his hand, so most of the information about what the Bulls are thinking comes from outside the organization. There’s definitely trade smoke hovering over the team, but are there any burning embers? It depends on the day.
The players definitely feel as though any one of them can get called to the office at any time and told to clean out his locker, especially after seeing forward DeMar DeRozan and guard Alex Caruso traded last summer.
It’s a group, however, that doesn’t dwell on it. Center Nikola Vucevic and guards Zach LaVine and Lonzo Ball, the three leading trade candidates, have indicated that numerous times this season.
Vucevic has been linked to several teams, including the Lakers before they dealt guard D’Angelo Russell, but things have calmed on that front. The Sun-Times confirmed the Nuggets were looking at LaVine, but those talks were described as ‘‘light momentum.’’ And Ball, who has an expiring contract and might be the most attractive asset for a contender, must continue proving his surgically repaired left knee can hold up.
But those aren’t the only Bulls who might be dealt.
‘‘You’re never out of the fire,’’ guard Coby White said. ‘‘Everybody is tradable. There’s maybe, like, five guys in the league that probably know, ‘Unless I ask to be traded, I’m not going to be traded.’ You’re never out of the fire.’’
That includes White, who outplayed his contract last season — as evidenced by finishing second in voting for Most Improved Player — is making an attractive $12 million this season and $12.9 million next season and is part of a logjam at the guard spot.
Not only might the Bulls have LaVine for the next couple of seasons if they can’t trade him, but Ayo Dosunmu is signed through the 2025-26 season. Then there’s Josh Giddey. He will be a restricted free agent this summer, and all indications are that the Bulls plan to re-sign him.
The only question is, at what price? The Sun-Times has reported Giddey initially wanted a Jalen Suggs-like contract of about $30 million per year, but the Bulls can let the market set a price on him and decide whether they want to match it. They undoubtedly will go in that direction if Giddey’s asking price doesn’t go down.
Still, with LaVine and Giddey, Karnisovas might be paying well over $70 million for his starting backcourt alone next season. That’s why Dosunmu ($7 million this season and $7.5 million in 2025-26) and White are on the table as possibilities to be traded.
Both are young, hardworking and improving. White, in particular, continues to round out his game by focusing more on his defense. Because both their contracts are up at the same time, it might be a one-or-the-other situation.
White is well aware of all the possibilities but isn’t losing sleep over any of them.
‘‘I don’t tend to worry about it because it’s completely out of everyone’s hands besides the front office,’’ he said. ‘‘Since I’ve been in the league, teams have totally changed. Me and Zach are the only ones still on the team [from my rookie year], so I’ve seen what it’s like to have your whole team shipped out. I’ve seen what it’s like to have a different head coach from when I started, a different front office. So it’s just business, and I had to learn that. And it’s one of those lessons you better learn quickly.’’