Proposed trade of Zach LaVine to the Magic brings familar face to Bulls

The Chicago Bulls have little wiggle room to improve this offseason, especially if they decide to bring back DeMar DeRozan. 

Their only chance to clear some cap space might be to let DeRozan walk or trade Zach LaVine while taking back lesser contracts from a team that has cap space to burn. 

Given those parameters, it will be tricky but not impossible to move Zach LaVine in a trade, and the Bulls may even be able to get a useful player. 

A recent article in Bleacher Report named the Orlando Magic as one of the best possible landing spots for Zach LaVine, which does make sense, as they need scoring, LaVine can score, and the Magic have the defenders to cover up the fact that LaVine can’t guard anyone. 

They also have some cap space to use and not many targets to use it on, so could the Bulls work out a deal with Orlando that doesn’t involve just giving LaVine away? 

The value of Zach LaVine to the Chicago Bulls 

The Bulls are in a tough spot, as LaVine is a good player when healthy, but does have an albatross of a contract that most teams would stay a mile away from, especially if it cost them assets. 

This is going to drive down LaVine’s price, so depending on which direction they go this summer, the Bulls could be better off just keeping LaVine and seeing if he can stay healthy, build value for a future trade and help the team win a few games in the process. 

LaVine, even with his horrible contract, has more value to the Bulls than he may have on the trade market, so there is an argument they should just keep him and hope for the best rather than give him away for nothing. 

But what if the Bulls could get a decent player at a position of need? 

Here’s a possible trade that jettisons LaVine’s contract but gets something in return.