Sad news: Lakers miss out on signing the shooting magic to their rivals….read more.
Many people have been speculating that Zach LaVine will be available for trade this summer with the Chicago Bulls.
The good news for the Bulls is that they have no shortage of players to compete for the three years left on LaVine’s contract. It will take a desperate club to challenge them.
LaVine may be of interest to teams with cap room, such as the Magic or Pistons, who both require outside shooting and need to make improvements.
Depending on which route they choose, the Cavaliers, Hawks, and Hornets may all be in the running for Philadelphia’s cap room and search for a third star.
However, the Los Angeles Lakers, who are attempting to maximize the end of the LeBron era by surrounding him and AD with additional star power, might be the club most eager to make an impression.
The Lakers have been linked to several players in potential deals, including Zach LaVine, according to Dan Woike of the LA Times:
“Other players commonly mentioned as potential trade targets this offseason include New Orleans’ Brandon Ingram, Atlanta’s Trae Young and DeJounte Murray and Chicago’s Zach LaVine — none seriously linked to the Lakers at the combine.”
It’s doubtful if the Lakers even have enough to land any of the guys listed there outside LaVine, as they effectively have three lottery picks and young players on lesser contracts to move.
Rumors about the Chicago Bulls: Hopefully the Lakers fail
The Lakers could contact LaVine if they are unsuccessful with their initial picks. After Ingram, Young, and Murray, there might be other clubs that are willing to trade for them more than LA is.
Zach LaVine trades to the Lakers have been suggested, but the Lakers are unable to recoup any additional revenue as a tax team, which makes it difficult to make the deals work.
It’s difficult to make a trade without D’Angelo Russell, who is probably going to choose to forego his last season in order to receive a larger salary anyhow. The Lakers have no say over what he does because he has a player option for the upcoming year.
Or would they instead include Rui Hachimura? Hachimura, Gabe Vincent, and Jarred Vanderbilt combined bring your pay very near to parity.
Given LaVine’s history of injuries, the Lakers could feel that this is too much to give up for him, and the Bulls would be receiving a large return in addition to this season’s salary, but they would also be gaining some depth and a decent player in Hachimura.
The Bulls might be able to get a little more for LaVine if the Lakers are truly desperate, but it’s doubtful if LA has anything the Bulls would actually be interested in.
