If the Chicago Bulls want to start some kind of rebuild this summer, trading Zach LaVine will be priority number one.
Given his injury history, there won’t be teams lined up to give up much for the two-time All-Star, especially given the three years remaining on his deal at $43, 45 and 48 million.
There are only a few types of trades that will be available if the Bulls do decide to move Zach LaVine.
Dumping him to a team with cap space
The Detroit Pistons immediately come to mind as a location where the Bulls might be able to dump LaVine’s contract without getting much back in return. The Pistons are desperate to make some kind of splash and do have some young players that might interest Chicago. Whether they’d be willing to part with any of them is a different story.
Updated 2024 NBA Cap Space projections:
— Keith Smith (@KeithSmithNBA) March 23, 2024
1. Pistons: $61.3M
2. 76ers: $55.3M
3. Jazz: $38.0M
4. Thunder: $35.3M
5. Magic: $25.6M
6. Spurs: $25.4M
Main updates:
-Pistons: About the same
-Sixers: No longer projecting Melton's cap hold to stay
-Jazz: Draft pick updates
-Thunder:…
But if the Bulls are willing to basically give LaVine away to a team with cap space, the Pistons, 76ers, Magic and Jazz are all possibilities.
Trading Zach LaVine for another team’s trash
The other option would be to move LaVine for equivalent money in the form of players another team doesn’t want.
When healthy, LaVine can move the needle for a good team and one might be willing to take that risk if they are not giving up much in return, which is what happens in a recently proposed trade.