The Chicago Bulls are looking to start a rebuild in 2024-25, but they still don’t have the right roster for such a mission.
Veteran All-Stars Zach LaVine and Nikola Vučević don’t seem like a good fit for a youth move/tank, but the Bulls haven’t been able to trade either player.
According to a new reportThat may soon change, at least for LaVine.
In an article published Wednesday titled “5 NBA Offseason Trades That Could Still Happen,” Bleacher Report’s Grant Hughes outlined a possible deal that sends LaVine to the Los Angeles Lakers for a package centered around Austin Reaves.
“The Lakers are acquiring Zach LaVine from the Chicago Bulls for Rui Hachimura, Austin Reaves, Jarred Vanderbilt and Jaxson Hayes,” Hughes said.
“The Lakers can’t enter the 2024-25 season without making a big move on … more top-tier talent. … (LaVine has) elite scoring ability, as evidenced by his two All-Star nominations and his 24.8-point average in 2022-23 on a 48.5/37.5/84.8 shooting split.
“The Lakers aren’t giving up any draft chances here, and a healthy LaVine would give them a star-level scorer to bolster an offense that averaged a mediocre 115.5 points per 100 possessions every time (LeBron) James wasn’t on the court last season.”
“The Bulls keep their picks, split LaVine’s big contract into four smaller ones and eliminate their biggest obstacle to a true rebuild. Meanwhile, the Lakers take a justified risk by adding one of the most promising pieces available.”
It’s hard to imagine the Lakers parting ways with Reaves, whom they like so much, but Hughes makes a compelling case for Los Angeles to acquire LaVine.
The Bulls would make this deal in a second, especially since they have suffered for months in a virtually no-win situation. no market for LaVine.
Will Lakers general manager Rob Pelinka surprise everyone and try to land LaVine before the fall?
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