Even after the Denver Nuggets emerged victorious to capture the 2023 Larry O’Brien Trophy, it’s still difficult to ignore the feeling that the league currently has more parity and is more wide open than ever in recent years. If any team is going to rise to the challenge and dethrone Denver, they’ll have to make some big moves and swing for the fences. Fortunately, this means the Chicago Bulls have a very real opportunity to take advantage and finally turn the direction of their franchise around.
With the 2023 offseason looking primed to get busier than ever, the Bulls seem willing to get involved in the action this summer. We’ll undoubtedly see countless trades take place ahead of this year’s draft and free agency periods, but there is one thing casting doubt in the minds of many Bulls fans: should Zach LaVine be traded this offseason?
Initially, this seemed like an improbability, but recent reports from Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports indicate that a LaVine trade may not be as improbable as expected.
THIS JUST IN:
— Daniel Greenberg (@ChiSportUpdates) June 15, 2023
The Chicago Bulls have started contacting teams and "quietly gauging the trade interest in Zach LaVine," per @JakeLFischer.
If the Chicago Bulls surprise everyone by trading All-Star guard Zach LaVine this summer, they’re sure to get a hefty haul in return.
If LaVine were to be traded, it would surely be only just the first shocking domino of many to fall as the Bulls retool their roster and aim toward the future. DeMar DeRozan and Nikola Vucevic would likely soon follow, as the veterans would almost surely prefer to compete for a championship at this stage of their careers rather than waste their last few productive years mentoring the youth.
As wild as this might sound, Chicago’s front office has the track record to prove it may not be all that unrealistic. We saw how swiftly Arturas Karnisovas and Marc Eversley acted in 2021 when they decided it was time to switch directions by inking DeMar, Alex Caruso, and Lonzo Ball to deals all in the span of one week.
It’s hard to say right now just how willing they are to trade LaVine and rebuild, but we’re fairly confident he would fetch an impressive haul of young talent and draft picks should he be traded. With that being said, let’s examine a few LaVine-centric trade proposals circulating the internet right now.
1. Bulls get younger and back into the draft
Among the many teams looking to acquire one additional piece is the recently defeated Eastern Conference Champion Miami Heat. Without a truly dependable scoring option, the Heat faltered down the stretch once Denver neutralized Jimmy Butler with their defensive scheme. That’s why I can’t say I’m surprised to see Enzo Flojo of ClutchPoints advocating for the Heat to acquire another Bulls talent in LaVine.
In this proposed deal, Chicago would not only swap their star shooting guard for a promising guard that better fits a rebuild timeline, but would also have the chance to right their wrongs from the Nikola Vucevic trade by getting back into the 2023 NBA Draft.
The Miami Heat would be a seamless fit for Zach LaVine, but not at this price.
LaVine would fit seamlessly with Miami, as his elite off-ball ability and three-point shooting stroke would stretch the floor and punish teams for helping too heavily on Butler. No champion should be depending on players like Max Strus and Caleb Martin to hit big shots in the clutch, it’s just not a feasible strategy through four consecutive seven-game series. Adding LaVine would give the Heat a flamethrower on offense that can actually fit with the starting unit, unlike the defensive turnstile Tyler Herro.
Unfortunately, it’s for these very same reasons I can’t say I’m fond of this deal. As good as he is, Herro would only be a $120 million positional downgrade. If Herro was more of a two-way threat, or if Chicago received a fair bit more compensation in the way of draft picks or young talent like Nikola Jovic, it would be a bit easier to stomach.
But as this currently stands, the Bulls would be swapping LaVine and a first-round pick of their own for a worse version of LaVine, one of the worst contracts in the NBA, and a mid-first-round selection. Hard pass.
Grade: D
2. Revisiting LaVine negotiations with New York
One of the most difficult obstacles to overcome when it comes to trading LaVine away is his correctly evaluating his value around the league. Without a resume of playoff success under his belt, I can understand why many general managers might think he’s an empty calories scorer and not a winning player.
Fortunately, the Knicks are a team who seems to understand just how big of an impact Zach can have when in the right situation. Pippen Ain’t Easy’s own Cesar Toscano proposed this deal with the Knicks yesterday.
New York has aggressively pursued the All-Star guard in the past, even as recently as last season’s trade deadline, when the Bulls were rumored to be in potential negotiations. Obviously, a deal was never struck in the end, but that doesn’t mean it’s too late to revisit talks now.
The Knicks are one of few teams that can offer a well-rounded package in trade talks for Zach LaVine.
Now that Jalen Brunson and Julius Randle are providing fringe All-Star production on cheap, long-term deals, the window for the Knicks to go all-in and compete for a title is officially open. That being said, they’re clearly still missing that third reliable piece, and perhaps nobody on the market is better suited to do just that than LaVine.
While the Bulls wouldn’t be receiving a ‘sure thing’ prospect in return, I believe stacking the deck with as many lottery tickets as possible is never a bad idea. Barrett’s ceiling on paper is arguably higher than even Zach’s, Grimes has looked like a very valuable player in spurts, and there’s potential for either of these picks (most likely the Knicks’ own and Dallas’ 2024 first-rounder) to end up becoming much better than originally expected. All in all, there’s a decent shot that at least one of these gambles ends up paying off.
Oh, and the D Rose reunion tour would be a sight to see. This doesn’t blow me away, but it’s a solid trade.
Grade: B
3. Does a long-awaited LA reunion have potential?
Born in Washington and attending college at UCLA, Lakers fans have long held out hope that Zach LaVine’s West Coast roots would one day convince the All-Star guard to take his talents to LA. Of course, he’s only added fuel to the fire by naming LeBron James as his “dream teammate” in 2020 and saying he’s always been a “big fan” of the Lakers in 2022.
That’s why I can’t exactly say I’m surprised when I see his LaVine’s name pop up in fan-made trade proposals and jersey swap edits every summer. One ClutchPoints writer tried his hand at outlining the ideal proposal earlier this week, and I have to say, this one made his previous proposal look like a steal.
The Lakers simply don’t have the assets to be an attractive trade partner for Zach LaVine.
As justification for this proposal, the writer states, “The Bulls would gain a talented young player in Russell, as well as valuable draft capital to fuel their future endeavors.”
Seeing as how the writer refuses to elaborate any further about why this deal makes sense for Chicago while carrying on with their essay of why this is a great trade for LA, I can only presume it was written by a disillusioned Lakers fan hoping to cash in on another championship ring before LeBron James either retires or bolts for greener pastures (again).
Fortunately, I don’t think fans should hold any worries over a deal like this being announced this summer. This trade is so bad that even GarPax could barely contain their laughter before hanging up the phone.
Grade: F
4. Portland offers Bulls best path to a rebuild
Among the greatest inherent difficulties that come with trading a player of LaVine’s caliber is that it’s very difficult to justify such a decision without receiving a sizeable haul that can realistically kickstart the next rebuild. We saw this when the Bulls traded Jimmy Butler for LaVine, former No. 5 pick Kris Dunn, and the rights to the 7th pick in the 2017 NBA Draft.
Just like the Butler deal, if the Bulls decide to move a top 30 player in the NBA like LaVine, it has to be for a prospect or asset Chicago can build around moving forward. That’s why I’d like to put a spin on a trade proposal one Bulls fan on Twitter suggested, to piece together a deal that makes sense for both parties and secures the No. 3 overall pick for the Bulls.
The Bulls’ best option to rebuild involves trading Zach LaVine to jump into the top three at the 2023 NBA Draft.
Although the original proposal saw Chicago netting all three of the No. 3 pick, Simons, and Shaedon Sharpe, I believe that’s far more than Portland will be willing to give up in such a deal. Sharpe and this year’s pick are both integral assets to the Blazers’ success, and it would take a true superstar-caliber player to net both in this deal.
This deal puts Portland in a great position with a starting lineup that includes Damian Lillard, Sharpe, LaVine, and presumably Jerami Grant on a new deal. Alex Caruso, Matisse Thybulle, and Nassir Little off the bench would be very solid depth, each of whom would help compensate for any defensive deficiencies in the starting five. This deal also keeps the Blazers far below the luxury tax threshold with plenty of wiggle room to fill out the center position.
From Chicago’s perspective, no one else can offer quite as attractive of a deal as Portland here. This deal gives the Bulls a clear package they can build around, and would also greenlight future moves to trade DeRozan and Vucevic while building around the youth. After all is said and done, the Bulls could potentially build around a lineup of Scoot Henderson, Simons, Patrick Williams, and Dalen Terry with a sizeable war chest of future draft picks.
The Blazers will likely look for better deals (Pascal Siakam, anyone?) before agreeing to anything of this nature, but if they truly intend to give Lillard a shot to go all the way, this trade could be just what both teams are looking for.