Despite a flurry of trade rumors around the league, NBA Insider Jake Fischer reports that only the Milwaukee Bucks are showing any interest in former Bulls star Zach LaVine. The Bulls traded LaVine to the Sacramento Kings last season in exchange for a trio of role players and a first-round pick, which was considered a meager return at the time. Yet, LaVine's current trade value makes it obvious that Chicago was wise to part ways with him when they did.
There is no league-wide interest for Lavine
Even with many desperate teams in the NBA, only one team sees value in acquiring LaVine. Between his huge contract ($47.5 million this season and almost $49 million next season) and lack of defense, he's not considered a positive trade asset. Even on the struggling Kings, Lavine's teammates have more trade value than him.
The Bulls' full return for LaVine was Tre Jones, Zach Collins, Kevin Huerter, and their own first-round pick in the 2025 Draft. None of these players individually has the same talent as the 30-year-old swingman, but their joint contributions have helped the Bulls more than LaVine could. Additionally, splitting up that huge salary slot into three smaller contracts gives the team more flexibility to make a trade.
Additionally, LaVine's departure opened the door for younger talent on the Bulls to shine. Josh Giddey's play drastically improved once he didn't have to defer to LaVine. Developing promising young talent should be the Bulls' top priority now, and shipping out LaVine helped do just that. In fact, losing LaVine even for nothing might have been a positive for the Bulls.
If the Bulls had waited longer to trade LaVine, they might be in the same hopeless position as the Kings. Sacramento is almost guaranteed to pay out LaVine's monstrous contract over the next two seasons (or more if they waive-and-stretch him) without getting anything of value in return. In comparison, the Bulls' return last season seems like a king's ransom.
The Bulls were very opportunistic last year by getting involved in the trade that sent De'Aaron Fox to the Spurs. They saw a chance to move their worst contract and made it a three-team deal, duping the unsuspecting Kings in the process. Chicago maximized LaVine's value by trading him at the peak of his efficiency—he was averaging 24.0 points per game while shooting 51 percent from the field and 45 percent from three-point range before being traded.
Now, the former Bull is wasting away on a Kings team stuck in limbo. They are an old team that's surprisingly expensive, all while having the third-worst record in the NBA. The Bulls are not in an ideal position either, but they are certainly better off for having traded LaVine before it was too late.