Will the Chicago Bulls blow things up and split up their core of Zach LaVine, DeMar DeRozan, and Nikola Vucevic? This was the key question being asked during the NBA offseason and heading into the 2023-24 season. Just 11 games into the new year, the focus has now shifted to the question of: When will the Bulls blow things up?
Amid frustrations and uncertainty surrounding the direction of the franchise, the Bulls are currently a struggling team in the Eastern Conference. Chicago is just 4-7 on the season and showing no signs of improvement compared to last season, a year they went 40-42, missing the playoffs after losing in the play-in tournament.
As a result of their early-season struggles, it appears as if change is on the horizon for the Bulls yet again. While they remained adamant about keeping their core group and three star players together throughout the offseason, the Bulls appear to be going down a path where this will no longer be the case. On Tuesday afternoon, Shams Charania of The Athletic reported that both the Bulls and LaVine are open to the idea of a trade with there being an “increased level of openness” from both parties.
Should the Bulls truly make LaVine available on the trade market, this will make for some very interesting and intriguing conversations. Despite his success as an All-Star and scorer, LaVine is not necessarily the type of player who moves the needle for a contending team.
How much better would LaVine make our team? Are the Bulls asking for a ridiculous amount of value? Can LaVine fit in next to what we already have? These are all valid questions that rival front offices are going to be asking themselves over the course of the next several weeks regarding the Bulls All-Star.
Trade rumors surrounding LaVine have been around for quite a while, but this is the very first time there seems to be a willingness from the Bulls to discuss the matter. There are several teams around the league that could benefit from an offensive perspective by adding a player of LaVine's caliber. Then again, the NBA's new salary cap and CBA regulations could prevent certain franchises from pursuing trade talks with Chicago.
At some point, the Bulls are going to make a move this season. Zach LaVine, as well as others, could be on the move, so let's examine all the possible teams who could show interest in the two-time All-Star as well as what their current situations look like.
Philadelphia 76ers
The Philadelphia 76ers moved on from James Harden at the start of the season. In doing so, Tyrese Maxey has emerged as a candidate to be a first-time All-Star, and the Sixers have opened up flexibility to improve their roster further. Daryl Morey and Philadelphia's front office have added draft picks to play around with, and the Sixers have the ability to move contracts around Maxey and reigning league MVP Joel Embiid.
The bottom line pertaining to the 76ers is that they want to contend for and win a championship while they can with Embiid. There is no telling what the future holds for the superstar center, and while he is on this roster, everyone in the organization expects to compete at a high level. So far, the Sixers have done just that, posting an 8-1 record to sit atop the Eastern Conference standings.
It is no secret around the league that Morey and the 76ers are feeling out which players could become available ahead of February's trade deadline. Zach LaVine has been a name circled on this organization's whiteboard for quite some time.
The Sixers could utilize a scorer like LaVine alongside Maxey and Embiid. Plus they have already held trade conversations with the Bulls surrounding their star during the summer.
Between having the ability to move draft picks and having seven players on expiring contracts that equate to roughly $97.2 million in total salaries, the Sixers can absolutely pull off a trade for LaVine. Some type of package surrounding draft picks, Tobias Harris, and Jaden Springer for LaVine and possibly Alex Caruso could be an avenue the 76ers explore.
Miami Heat
Damian Lillard was the dream scenario for the Miami Heat this past offseason. That ship has sailed, which is why the Heat could now turn their attention to Zach LaVine. When you look at Miami and the roster it has, it's clear to see that offensive production is going to be a problem all season long.
The Heat currently rank 22nd in the league in offensive rating, and with Tyler Herro out due to an ankle sprain, this team lacks consistent scorers outside of Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo. This was Miami's problem in the NBA Finals last year, and once again, this continues to be a problem due to its lack of overall depth.
Pat Riley and the Heat's front office have been wanting to add a third star for quite some time, and LaVine seems to make way too much sense for them from an offensive standpoint. LaVine would take pressure off of Butler to always make plays as the primary ballhandler, and there's a path to the Heat acquiring the Bulls star without giving up Herro, something that would have happened in a potential Lillard trade.
If Miami were to adjust the protections on the first-round pick they have already sent to the Oklahoma City Thunder in 2025, they could open up the ability to send two first-round pick swaps to the Bulls in 2026 and 2028 as well as an unprotected 2027 first-round pick.
Player-wise, Kyle Lowry, Duncan Robinson, and Nikola Jovic make a combined $50.1 million. LaVine and Alex Caruso make a combined $49.5 million. This trade matches up perfectly, but will the Bulls be getting enough value?
Indiana Pacers
Here's one of the dark-horse teams that could get in the mix for Zach LaVine. With all the giants in the Eastern Conference, the Indiana Pacers have started the 2023-24 season with a 6-4 record. This team, led by All-Star guard Tyrese Haliburton, is sneaky good this year because of how efficient their offense is.
Haliburton is arguably the best playmaker in this league given his passing abilities, which is why another off-ball star like LaVine could flourish. The Pacers are all about offense, so why not gamble and truly make a playoff push with another star at the shooting guard position?
Bennedict Mathurin could still emerge as a key talent on the wing. Bruce Brown would be a secondary playmaker and contributor on the wing, and the Pacers would finally be able to fill a void they have had since Paul George was traded in 2017.
Indiana owns all of their first-round picks moving forward, plus they have a handful of young, high-potential talents still on their rookie deals. Out of all the teams in the league, the Pacers may be able to put together the best trade package for a player like LaVine.
Los Angeles Lakers
Ah yes, the annual “Zach LaVine to the Lakers” suggestion. The Klutch Sports Lakers… Pardon me, the Los Angeles Lakers are always in the market for another star alongside LeBron James and Anthony Davis, not to mention, Los Angeles has several players on its roster represented by Klutch Sports, including LeBron, since Rich Paul is one of his best friends. LaVine is one of Paul's clients, so you see where we are going with this?
In all seriousness, LaVine going to Los Angeles is not as crazy as it sounds. LaVine's ability to initiate an offense and bring the ball up the court is what the Lakers need next to James, plus he would be that third 20-plus-points-per-game scorer this team doesn't have right now. Austin Reaves is a player the Lakers still believe in, but his role has been inconsistent to begin the season.
As far as trades go, the Lakers are severely limited in terms of what they can do at this very moment in time. James, Max Christie, and two rookies in Maxwell Lewis and Jalen Hood-Schifino are the only players who can be dealt immediately.
The rest of this roster is tied down by recently signed contract restrictions, meaning that they cannot be traded until closer to February's trade deadline. It's also worth mentioning that the Lakers are hard-capped, meaning that they would have to do their best to match any incoming salary.
LaVine making $40 million for the next few seasons would not be ideal for the Lakers, but they can still manage to make this work. D'Angelo Russell, Rui Hachimura, and Gabe Vincent get Los Angeles above the $40 million of LaVine's incoming salary, which then leads to questions about what draft picks the Lakers can give up seeing as they would undoubtedly have to include their 2029 first-round pick.
The Lakers can absolutely get involved in trade talks for LaVine, but it is much more likely that they will consider the idea of a reunion with guard Alex Caruso should he become available with the Bulls heading in a different direction.
Orlando Magic
Going back to the Eastern Conference, the Orlando Magic are another sneaky team to keep tabs on regarding Zach LaVine. The Magic have had a great start to the 2023-24 season at 5-4. Head coach Jamahl Mosley is starting to see tremendous growth with his young group, and the Magic have rapidly become one of the best defensive teams in the league.
Offensively, though, Orlando has some problems to sort through. Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner can only do so much for this team, which is where a player like LaVine comes into play.
The Magic need a true scoring guard that can take over a game alongside Banchero and Wagner. Markelle Fultz is not this type of player. Cole Anthony tends to thrive in his sixth-man role, and Jalen Suggs is more of a factor on defense.
It truly seems like the Magic are one star player away from being a threat in the East. With cap space and the ability to return assets to Chicago from when they acquired Wendell Carter Jr., Orlando can put together an enticing trade package.
Golden State Warriors
The Golden State Warriors began the 2023-24 season with a 6-2 record. Following their disappointing exit from the playoffs a season ago, it seemed like the Warriors were putting their foot down and proving to everyone across the NBA that they were once again real title contenders. The Warriors are now 6-5 and could be without Stephen Curry for a couple of games due to a knee sprain.
Even with the depth they have on their bench, the Warriors' offense has been abysmal, something that sounds really weird to admit. Curry has been this team's only source of scoring so far this season and without him, the Warriors may have a hard time breaking 100 total points!
The bottom line pertaining to Golden State is that Klay Thompson and Andrew Wiggins have been below-average contributors on offense, leading to this team's problems. Could trading for Zach LaVine put the Warriors in a better position to contend for a title?
The obvious answer is yes, but who would the Warriors have to give up? Klay Thompson and Andrew Wiggins are not going anywhere, which then leads to if Golden State would entertain the idea of flipping Chris Paul.
Set to hit free agency next offseason due to his contract being nonguaranteed, Paul could be the only path to the Warriors being able to improve their roster ahead of the trade deadline. However, Golden State would likely need to part ways with Jonathan Kuminga and Moses Moody as well in order to get its hands on LaVine. Warriors fans may like the idea of this, but this organization has been trying to cut down on costs since the summer.
Going out and trading for LaVine is not a cost-friendly move whatsoever, as his $40 million-plus contract for the next several years would put the Warriors in a situation where they probably wouldn't be able to re-sign Klay next summer. Perhaps LaVine isn't the right fit financially for the Warriors, but don't count out this team showing an openness to trading Paul.
Memphis Grizzlies
Without Ja Morant, the Memphis Grizzlies have become one of the worst teams in the NBA. The Grizzlies are too predictable on offense with Desmond Bane being their only heavy-hitter offensively, and there are too many new faces on Memphis' roster to call the team a real playoff threat at this point.
Something needs to change with the Grizzlies, and it needs to happen fast, as Morant is not going to return and solve all of their problems. Memphis ranks 29th in the league in offensive rating right now, and it just needs a player like Zach LaVine who possesses a “score-first” mentality and can go for 20-plus on any given night.
General manager Zach Kleiman is never shy about making big moves and shaking up his roster. If you need proof of this, look at what the Grizzlies did this offseason after winning over 50 games.
The one thing many do not tend to know about Memphis is that it has quietly been adding future draft assets. Perhaps the Grizzlies realized they were finding a lot of success through the draft, hence why they would want to have options for draft night moving forward.
Then again, teams that acquire a handful of future assets tend to have a long-term plan in mind pertaining to the idea of adding an All-Star talent. It seems like a matter of time before the Grizzlies pull off a big move, and their 2-8 start should signal that change needs to happen right now.
From the Bulls' perspective, it's hard to see them being interested in what the Grizzlies have to offer. Marcus Smart and Luke Kennard are not necessarily great building blocks for Chicago to take back in a trade involving LaVine, plus the Grizzlies might not have any desire to part ways with Ziaire Williams or Santi Aldama, two of their young, high-potential players.
Oklahoma City Thunder
We were just talking about stockpiling draft picks, and now we are discussing Sam Presti's Oklahoma City Thunder. Coincidence? I think not.
The Thunder have enough draft picks over the next several years to form a new NBA expansion team, and this young team has already shown tremendous growth. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is a real MVP candidate. Chet Holmgren will be in the running for Rookie of the Year, and the maturity of this team is simply remarkable. Their entire starting core is under the age of 25 years old, yet the Thunder play like a group of veterans that have been together for years.
At some point, the Thunder are going to become a top-tier team in the Western Conference, and quite honestly, they may be right at the threshold of that point this season. If there is anything Oklahoma City needs next to SGA, it is another facilitator who can take on some of the scoring burden. Zach LaVine is this kind of player, and the Thunder can certainly afford his mega contract seeing as basically their entire roster owns rookie-scale contracts.
The Thunder can sacrifice a few draft picks as well as players like Aleksej Pokusevski and Ousmane Dieng in a potential trade. However, Oklahoma City would likely need to part ways with either Josh Giddey, Luguentz Dort, or Jalen Williams to make this trade work from the Bulls' perspective. Right now, it doesn't seem like the Thunder want to shake up their roster that much.
San Antonio Spurs
Another young team in the Western Conference, the San Antonio Spurs are going to be aggressive over the next couple of seasons in terms of adding talent around Victor Wembanyama. In due time, Wemby can lead the Spurs back to the NBA Finals, but he is going to need some help on offense.
The key question surrounding the Spurs right now, which is something they are actively figuring out this season, is: “Which young players on this roster will be a part of the long-term core?”
Keldon Johnson and Devin Vassell have new contracts, so they are not going anywhere, but what about players like Jeremy Sochan, Malaki Branham, Tre Jones, and Blake Wesley? The Spurs have their star in Wembanyama, yet the rest of this roster is one big question mark.
Bringing in Zach LaVine gives the Spurs a sense of direction and a veteran player who can create a strong one-two punch with Wemby. At the same time, San Antonio is in no position to shoot up the Western Conference standings and become a real contender. This is why LaVine probably wouldn't want to go there, and this is why the Spurs are probably at peace with the idea of continuing to see their rebuild through.
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