With the NBA Draft approaching and free agency following shortly after, the Chicago Bulls could opt to trade away one of their franchise cornerstones.

The Bulls are reportedly starting to contact teams about a potential trade for Zach LaVine, according to Jake Fischer. Though there is no guarantee that the Bulls will move LaVine, the fact that they are gauging other teams' interest in him shows that he's not untouchable.

Fischer reports that Chicago could ask for more than what the Washington Wizards are asking for Bradley Beal, who seems to be the likelier of the two to be traded. That shouldn’t come as a surprise given LaVine's younger age and smaller salary.

LaVine signed a five-year max contract with the Bulls last July and has spent the last six seasons in Chicago. He led the Bulls in scoring in four of those six seasons, including this past season.

The Bulls have not had much success with LaVine on the roster, reaching the postseason once during his time with the team. With no imminent improvement in sight, Chicago may see this as the end of the Zach LaVine era.

This could all be smoke and mirrors and the Bulls may very well hang onto LaVine for another season. Their willingness to actively engage teams in trading for the two-time All-Star means it's not out of the question though. A trade package for LaVine would net the Bulls plenty of assets to speed up their chances of becoming an NBA contender.