Chicago Bulls: Being careful about trading up in 2019 NBA Draft

The Pelicans have made it known that they would be willing to move the fourth pick for an established NBA star, but this simply wouldn’t happen with Chicago.

The name that popped up in the media quite often this week in rumors with New Orleans was Zach LaVine. Although there may have been absolutely no truth to these rumors, they caused Bulls fans around the nation to scratch their heads and wonder what was going on.

To be short and to the point- I do no believe this trade ever was going to happen or would happen in the future. The price tag for a LaVine trade would be much higher than for the 4th pick straight up, and the two teams are likely far off in assessing the values of their respective assets.

Chicago may be willing to part with LaVine, but for a hefty price. At only 24 years of age, LaVine has not even hit his prime and would fit the timeline of any NBA team. Second, his statistics in his first full season as a Bull were phenomenal. LaVine scored over 23 points per game at a fairly efficient rate from both the field as a whole and from three. As a top-18 scorer in the entire league, he has established himself as a future top scorer and a possible All-Star in the not too distant future.

The third reason why LaVine’s price tag would be very high is because of his contract. Set to make only $19.5 million per year over the next three years, he is locked up at a well below market rate and for multiple years.

New Orleans would absolutely love to have a guy like LaVine on the roster, but moving the fourth pick alone would not get him- not even close. David Griffin would have to give up another significant young asset to acquire the Bulls’ star, and the likelihood that he is willing to do so is very low.

In whole, a trade for a Chicago star just wont happen for New Orleans, so let’s take a look at giving up a future asset and the seventh pick in exchange for the fourth selection in this year’s draft.