"So you're telling me there's a chance."
That's how Jim Carrey's Lloyd Christmas responds when the woman of his dreams tells him there's a "one in a million" shot they end up together in the famous comedy "Dumb and Dumber."
At this point, the Chicago Bulls' pursuit of a Zach LaVine trade partner seems like both of those things: a one-in-a-million chance and a famous comedy.
In the end, Lloyd doesn't land the girl. But there could be a chance the Bulls convert on their own one-in-a-million opportunity.
Tony Jones and Sam Amick of The Athletic released some breaking news during last night's Emirates NBA Cup Final, reporting that the Denver Nuggets were "eyeing" LaVine as they attempt to find help for three-time MVP Nikola Jokic
Bulls trade Zach LaVine to Denver Nuggets in mock trade
"League sources say the focus on LaVine in recent discussions is significant," Jones and Amick wrote.
If the Nuggets want to land the wing scorer they desire, a potential deal could look something like this:
Denver gets exactly what it wants in this deal as LaVine joins Jokic, Jamal Murray and Aaron Gordon to add some scoring punch. Jokic is in the midst of one of the best seasons in league history, yet his team is just 14-10 and fifth in the Western Conference standings.
Murray simply hasn't been the player he was in the 2023 playoffs when he helped Jokic lead Denver to its first and only championship. He averaged 26.1 points, 5.7 rebounds and 7.1 assists that postseason, running teams off the floor as Jokic's pick-and-roll partner.
He's dealt with injury issues and hasn't approached that level of production since. In 19 games this season, the 27-year-old is averaging 18.4 points, 3.9 rebounds and 6.1 assists while shooting just 34.8 percent from three.
LaVine, meanwhile, is fully healthy (so far) and averaging 21.7 points, 4.4 rebounds and 4.2 assists with shooting splits of 50/43/80 in a resurgent, All-Star-caliber season. He's not the playmaker Murray is at his peak, but the 29-year-old can play that combo guard scoring role that Murray did with Jokic in 2023.
He's also a far superior pure scorer, which would take a massive burden off of Jokic, who would rather facilitate anyway.
Denver is higher on Porter Jr. than perhaps any other franchise in the league, but Murray and Aaron Gordon both just signed contract extensions and can't be traded, making Porter Jr. the only player the Nuggets have who can match LaVine's salary in a deal.
Grading this LaVine-to-Nuggets mock trade for the Bulls
Porter Jr. isn't the shot-creator, scorer or playmaker LaVine is. Admittedly, Chicago would be giving up the best player in this hypothetical move.
The 26-year-old is, however, a 6-foot-10 wing who's a 40.8 percent career 3-point shooter and would offer the Bulls a different look offensively; and he isn't having such a bad year himself. He's played in every game this season, posting averages of 18.5 points and 7.1 rebounds with shooting splits of 51/39/69.
Porter Jr. is a lower-usage player who spends more time off the ball. That would allow Josh Giddey and Coby White to handle more of the playmaking duties while Porter Jr. spaces the floor. It would allow for more creativity from two guards who would benefit from having the ball in their hands more often.
Porter Jr. is also younger (26) and makes less money per year. Saric and Cancar barely see the floor in Denver and are simply salary fillers, but since the Bulls aren't landing any of the Nuggets' promising young players, such as Peyton Watson, Christian Braun, DaRon Holmes or Julian Strawther, the Nuggets send a lightly protected future first-round pick to Chicago.
That pick could be valuable down the line as the statuses of Jokic, Murray, Gordon and LaVine six seasons from now are extraordinarily murky at best, and the Bulls could use any draft capital they can get their hands on.
Porter Jr. isn't the player LaVine is, but he fits what Chicago is trying to do better than the high-usage veteran, who's had one foot out the door for the last few seasons anyway.