Before I jump into this any further, I want to emphasize the fact that I think it’s a bad idea for the Chicago Bulls to shop star shooting guard Zach LaVine heading into next season. Given the core that executive vice president of basketball operations Arturas Karnisovas and general manager Marc Eversley have formed around LaVine since the trade deadline last season, it makes sense to push for a contract extension ahead of next offseason.
LaVine is up for a likely max-level contract extension next offseason, which is something that should be explored by the front office. He is headed into the final year of his current contract next season. The final year of his current contract will pay him around $18 million.
Who Chicago Bulls could go after in a Zach LaVine trade?
As already one of the more hotly discussed players on the trade market for various media and fan speculation around the hoops landscape, LaVine makes for one of the more high-profile players on the trade block heading into next season. It seems like you just can’t get his and Bradley Beal‘s name away from rampant trade speculation no matter what.
Teams like the Boston Celtics and New York Knicks were still reportedly considering a trade with the Bulls for LaVine at some point this offseason. Those two teams do seem like the type to try and trade for LaVine, given their contender status in the Eastern Conference.
Once again, I’ll note that I don’t think it is wise for the Bulls to shop LaVine, nor do I think that Karnisovas will wind up giving up LaVine before next offseason. The lone reason why the Bulls should want to trade LaVine is if things completely fall apart and this team is out of playoff contention by the arrival of the trade deadline.
If the Bulls do arrive at a point where LaVine is on the trade block by the time the trade deadline arrives, here’s a look at three targets that are worth going after.
Potential trade targets for the Chicago Bulls to pursue for Zach LaVine: Bradley Beal
I already mentioned the fact that LaVine and Beal both can’t stay out of trade discussions this offseason. Those two are common favorites of hypothetical trade proposals during down points of the offseason and the regular season. But in a world where they are both somehow on the trade market at the same time next season, a player swap might make sense here.
Beal would be a similar fit for head coach Billy Donovan and the Bulls obviously compared to LaVine. Both are offensively gifted veteran shooting guards with at least one All-Star appearance each way. And LaVine and Beal are both high-usage players that score a lot and are tough-shot makers. But each also has their fair share of problems on defense.
Now, here are the main differences between LaVine and Beal. LaVine is a good rebounder, and Beal doesn’t have much of a presence on the glass. And Beal is a more effective distributor of the basketball on a consistent basis compared to LaVine.
What LaVine has done better lately than Beal is shooting from the field and from beyond the arc.
A real decisive reason that the Bulls might consider going after Beal in a swap for LaVine is just the fact that both players might want a change of scenery at that point of the season. If LaVine just wants to pick up and go elsewhere by the time the trade deadline arrives, then swapping him for Beal would make sense.
How could LaVine and the Bulls get to a point where he just flat out wants to leave Chicago by the trade deadline you might ask?
That would likely be due to a lack of willingness from the front office to commit to LaVine over the long term.
Potential trade targets for the Chicago Bulls to pursue for Zach LaVine: Damian Lillard
The potential LaVine trade target on this list that would both be the most appealing for the Bulls and the least likely to be moved next season is the Portland Trail Blazers superstar point guard Damian Lillard. Any idea of Lillard not being happy about the Blazers coaching situation in the post-Terry Stotts era look to have calmed for now.
There are a plethora of names to watch on the Blazers roster next season that could be on the move. The first one that most people think of in this regard is the standout veteran guard CJ McCollum. But it looks like the top priority for the Blazers next season on the trade market will be keeping Lillard off of the trade block.
However, if things do break down with the Blazers by the time next offseason arrives, watch out for the legitimate discussion of a Lillard trade to return to the media landscape. The Blazers have underachieved with such a prominent backcourt duo between Lillard and McCollum. Much like the Bulls have with a true star in LaVine leading the way for this team.
Lillard is the type of point guard that could be a game-changer for the Bulls and put this team in title contention right away. He would be the type of trade target that the Bulls should oblige to give up LaVine for either way. Lillard could come in and start right away with this team.
If there is any way this could happen, obviously the Bulls should be interested. It just doesn’t look too realistic right now.
Potential trade targets for the Chicago Bulls to pursue for Zach LaVine: Zion Williamson
While landing the former Duke Blue Devils freshman sensation and New Orleans Pelicans star forward Zion Williamson might not be the most impactful move of any of the names on this list right away, it would be the most appealing over the long term. What better could Karnisovas and the Bulls do than trading for Zion?
The fellow first-time All-Star selection Zion is part of a star forward duo that the Pelicans are building around with the former Los Angeles Laker and fellow Blue Devil Brandon Ingram. But that duo has yet to really lead to any success for the Pelicans in the last two seasons.
It definitely wouldn’t be the Pelicans that would be the reason why Zion is traded. That would be a choice for Zion to want to leave for greener pastures. And if a Zion trade were to happen with the Bulls, the asking price would likely be enormous.
The conversation would have to start with LaVine, and who knows where it would end. But if Zion were on the table, there’s no way that Karnisovas and the Bulls should not be ready for that conversation.
It was a discussion to be had this offseason that Zion wasn’t too happy with the situation in NOLA. Just one year after Stan Van Gundy was hired as head coach, the Pelicans already went another route. The last two systems built around Zion and Ingram have not worked out, and that could wear on him.