All signs point toward Chicago Bulls PA Announcer Tim Sinclair shouting Zach LaVine’s name into the United Center rafters on Oct. 26. Despite a seemingly endless supply of trade rumors over the last year or so, the two-time All-Star remains with the organization.
However, don’t be fooled! LaVine’s lingering presence isn’t by design. Arturas Karnisovas and Co. have seemingly been calling every front office member and their mother in an attempt to sell them on the 29-year-old scorer. Especially with the Bulls moving on from winning pieces like DeMar DeRozan and Alex Caruso, it’s become apparent they’re ready to head in a significantly new direction. But LaVine’s remaining three years, $138.0 million is keeping them from fully doing exactly that.
So while the trade talks have cooled for now, the full expectation is that they pick up steam soon. Heck, with the reality of the regular season beginning to set in, I wouldn’t be stunned if we even saw rumors emerge again before the regular season tips off. There are a handful of teams out there who are looking to stay in the championship picture, and who is to say they don’t begin to feel the pressure?
Let’s walk through some squads who could make sense as a last-minute suitor for Zach LaVine.
Golden State Warriors
The Golden State Warriors still have their eyes on the trade market. According to , the organization believes it remains “well-positioned” for an upgrade at some point in the foreseeable future. And, well, it’s hard not to agree.
Whether it be Jonathan Kuminga, Brandin Podziemski, Trayce Jackson-Davis, or Moses Moody, the Warriors front office has done a decent job of compiling young assets over the past couple of seasons. Not to mention, they have more wiggle room financially after choosing not to hand Klay Thompson his net contract. Andrew Wiggins is also on the kind of deal that could prove valuable when trying to make the money work for another star. He’s owed $27.3 million annually.
Cons൩idering Stephen Curry is still playing at a prime level despite being 36 years old, maximizing whatever championship window the Warriors have left is crucial. With that in mind, they sure feel like a prime candidate to make a big splash via the trade market sooner rather than later. This is especially true after they missed out on Lauri Markkanen and Paul George this summer.
Now, does this mean they’ll pivot to a disgruntled asset like Zach LaVine? No, and they’ve sure made their lack of interest in the two-time All-Star known thus far. But things can ch🎶ange fast in the𝔉 NBA.
Since we talked about LaVine and the Warriors earlier this offseason, I’ll direct you in the direction of that article. In short, if Golden State wants to fill the Klay Thompson void with another elite off-ball scoring threat AND avoid giving away too much, LaVine could be the perfect target. The Bulls don’t have much leverage, so the Warriors could always add an ultra-athletic bucket-getter while still having the assets to do more down the road.
I real🍌ly think Zach LaVine makes a lot of sense in The Bay.
Los Angeles Lakers
If we’re talking about a Klutch client, we might as well bring up the Los Angeles Lakers.
Unlike the Warriors, the Lakers were at least rumored as a possible landing spot for a short period of time. LeBron James and Co. are fresh off a first-round exit in the postseason and don’t appear to be legitimate contenders for a 2024-25 NBA Finals trip. After all, the Lakers received excellent All-NBA-caliber seasons from both Anthony Davis and James last year. Their failure to take advantage of that puts real pressure on the organization, especially with a James retirement now being a conversation after every season.
Whether it be taking a stab at Russell Westbrook or D’Angelo Russell, the Lakers have shown they aren’t above a desperate move. Add in the agency ties, and no one would be shocked if they suddenly became a Zach LaVine suitor again tomorrow. Not to mention, LaVine could fill a pretty big hole on the roster. The Lakers lack a reliable perimeter-scoring threat, as well as a go-to 3-point shooter. The team finished 28th in 3PAs last season. LaVine may not be able to provide the defense the Lakers want at the guard position, but they at least have a potential DPOY candidate to help cover up mistakes.
I recently saw that sent Rui Hachimura, Austin Reaves, Jarred Vanderbilt, and Jaxson Hayes to Chicago for LaVine. All things considered, I would do this trade in a heartbeat … which surely means the Lakers scoff at it! A far more realistic deal likely substitutes Austin Reaves for someone like D’Angelo Russell. The Bulls would also likely prefer to find a third party to take that contract, as Russell’s fit with Coby White and Josh Giddey doesn’t make a lot of sense.
Nonetheless, the Lakers are the exact kind of team that could panic as the season gets closer. Not only do they need more athleticism to compete with some of the younger teams in the conference,🍬 but they like star power. LaVine can sell some jerseys back ♏on the West Coast.
Los Angeles Clippers
Steve Ballmer isn’t afraid to make some noise. The outgoing Clippers owner is about to open a new state-of-the-art arena, and the organization seemingly has no desire to take a step back competitively. While they may have let Paul George walk this offseason, they have re-signed Kawhi Leonard long-term and held onto James Harden.
LA also 🦹remains one of the deepest teams in the league. Whether it be the recent signing of Derrick Jones Jr. and Nic Batum or the consistent presence of Norman Powell and Ivica Zubac, the Clippers have a pretty solid supporting cast. They may have to take a small bite out of that to make room for LaVine, but it al♍so may be worth it considering the spark he could offer offensively. Giving the 27-year-old a playmaker like James Harden could be perfect. Meanwhile, Leonard is on the other side to wreak havoc defensively.
Health would obviously be a concern, but what else is new for the Clippers? LaVine would at least bring a level of transition scoring and athleticism that the team has lacked over the past handful of years. Also, I can’t see Ballmer doing the fiscally responsible thing for long. Nobody is more willing to spend money and live with the ramifications than him.
Wild Card: Denver Nuggets
Bear with me. I know this sounds crazy, but I also think it sounds a little less crazy the more you think about it.
The Denver Nuggets didn’t necessarily have a great offseason. They lost key role player Kentavious Caldwell-Pope to the Orlando Magic, and they did practically nothing to fill that hole. The front office will now head into the upcoming season putting a lot of weight on several young shoulders. Players like Peyton Watson, Christian Braun, and Julian Strawther are going to have to find ways to contribute at a high level. But is that something they’re capable of, especially in a title-contending environment?
Zach LaVine’s backcourt fit with Jamal Murray would not be perfect. We also can’t ignore the very real concerns regarding the long-term health of both players. But there is absolutely no denying that LaVine and Murray would be one heck of a duo for Nikola Jokic to experiment with. Both are superb off-the-ball scorers who can drain threes at a high volume. Can you also imagine a team with both Aaron Gordon and Zach LaVine on the floor? That level of explosiveness would be insane!
To be sure, the only way this probably would work is if the Nuggets are ready to move on from someone like Michael Porter Jr., who is entering Year 3 of a five-year, $179.3 million deal. The 25-year-old would be hard to give up, especially after he played a career-high 81 games last season. I also think the Nuggets understand that he would be way too strong of a return for LaVine, which would make this really hard to pull off. Still, the Nuggets have every reason in the world to remain aggressive, and LaVine’s fit with Jokic could be tantalizing.
