Zach LaVine has spent the last six seasons in Chicago. After being drafted by the Timberwolves in 2014, he was part of the 2017 Jimmy Butler trade. Moving to the Bulls was perhaps the best thing to happen to LaVine, who quickly became a leader on a Bulls squad in desperate need of an identity. He has since become a two-time all-star and lead the Bulls in scoring in four of his seasons with the team. In 2022-23, LaVine put up 24.8 points per game, 15th highest in the NBA.
However, LaVine has been unable to carry the Bulls on his own. They have had a winning record once in the six years he has been with the team. That season, 2021-22, also marks the only playoff appearance for Chicago with LaVine on the roster. While they did appear in the 2023 Play-In tournament, they also won six less games compared to the previous season. This has led to some rumblings in Chicago.
Bulls Float LaVine Trade
According to Jake Fischer of Yahoo! Sports, "the Chicago Bulls who have started contacting teams, quietly gauging the trade interest in Zach LaVine, league sources told Yahoo Sports." This rumor comes alongside reports that the Wizards are looking to move Bradley Beal. It's likely that the Beal news has prompted Chicago to see what they could theoretically get for their own veteran star. The Heat and Bucks are both reportedly interested in Beal.
However, much like Beal, LaVine's contract will be a problem. LaVine has four years left on his current contract, which amounts to around $178 million. That's a significant amount of money to have to put aside for a player who will likely not be a star on his new team. However, the price might be worth paying for a team like the Hornets or Trail Blazers, which could see the Bulls rise to a top-three pick in the draft. Despite this, Fischer states that these are very quiet inquiries from the Bulls, indicating that they might not be anything at all. Regardless, do you think Chicago should trade LaVine? Follow all the latest sports news here at HotNewHipHop.
[via]
