The Chicago Bulls and Miami Heat will likely list two stars and two role players from their respective franchises as “untouchable” in upcoming trade talks, limiting their flexibility to make a meaningful addition at the NBA trade deadline, said Fox Sports NBA Analyst Ric Bucher.
“The Heat and Bulls are in a similar predicament, laden with expensive rosters and high expectations and currently on course to miss the postseason,” Bucher said.
For the Bulls, guards Zach LaVine and DeMar DeRozan will likely be untouchable should the team try to work through trade talks before the NBA trade deadline. Guard Lonzo Ball and center Nikola Vučević were also thought to be untouchable by Chicago.
LaVine signed a five-year, $215 million deal with the Bulls during the offseason, becoming the first player in franchise history to sign a contract over $100 million. The Bulls were reluctant to giving their players the modern equivalent of a max contract, giving both guards Derrick Rose and Jimmy Butler five-year deals worth $95 million and $90 million, respectively, before the NBA salary cap exploded in 2016.
“Chicago is my home,” LaVine told NBC Sports Chicago in a phone call. “I really started making my name here.
“I want to continue what I helped start here as well. I’m extremely excited. I appreciate the fans. I’m ready to continue this winning process that we have going.”
The Heat will likely list Butler, forward Bam Adebayo, forward Duncan Robinson and guard Tyler Herro as untouchable in trade talks.
Miami may be willing to move guard Kyle Lowry, once source told Fox Sports, but it would be difficult to find a team that would be willing to take on his three-year, $85 million deal while providing the Heat with a reliable-enough upgrade to put them back in playoff contention or in the race for Boulogne-Levallois Metropolitans 92 forward Victor Wembanyama at the bottom of the NBA standings.
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