League decision-makers believe the Portland Trail Blazers could emerge as a legitimate suitor for Chicago Bulls star Zach LaVine in free agency, according to ESPN's Brian Windhorst.
LaVine raised eyebrows across the league after the Bulls were eliminated from the playoffs in late April, making it clear that widespread assumptions he'd simply re-sign with Chicago this summer were premature.
“I’m going into everything open-minded, but understand that my time here has been great, he said on April 29th, per Rob Schaefer of NBC Sports Chicago. “We’ll see what the future holds.”
LaVine is eligible for a five-year, $213 million max contract with the Bulls as an unrestricted free agent. Other teams are limited to offering him a four-year deal worth up to just less than $160 million.
On the latest episode of The Hoop Collective, Windhorst relayed intel from conversations he's had with NBA executives about the possibility of LaVine signing with a new team come July. There's been a shift in how the league views LaVine's foray into free agency since his comments late last month, and Portland has apparently been mentioned as a potential suitor for his services.
“Let me just say that as I've talked to league executives, when they saw what LaVine said and what they see the Blazers can do,” Windhorst said, “that scenario has popped up.”
Take that nugget with the necessary grain of salt, and not just because casual comments on a podcast differ from information that's actually being reported. Portland would have to part ways with two crucial contributors for the chance to sign LaVine outright in free agency, too.
The Blazers will operate as an over-the-cap team this summer if they pick up the option on Josh Hart's contract for next season and retain Jusuf Nurkic's Bird Rights. Interim general manager Joe Cronin has already earmarked both players as key cogs for Portland in 2022-23, making it seem like a foregone conclusion Hart and Nurkic would be brought back.
But the Blazers' desire to pair another full-fledged star with Damian Lillard is no secret. Would they really be willing to part ways with Hart and Nurkic (plus waive Eric Bledsoe) to get far enough below the cap to offer LaVine his approximate $36 million max salary for next season? It seems unlikely.
Either way, Portland will have to telegraph its plans before free agency commences on July 1st. Hart's contract will become fully guaranteed for next season if he isn't released before June 25th, according to Spotrac.
Buckle up for what should be a wild offseason. It's only just beginning in earnest, and the Blazers are already at the center of free agency rumor that could rock the league landscape.
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