All indications are that Chicago Bulls announcer Tim Sinclair will be shouting Zach LaVine’s name from the rafters at the United Center on Oct. 26. Despite a seemingly endless amount of trade rumors over the past year, the two-time All-Star remains with the organization.
But don’t let that fool you! LaVine’s continued presence isn’t intentional. Arturas Karnisovas and company have apparently called every member of management and their mother in an attempt to convince them to take an interest in the 29-year-old scorer. Especially since the Bulls have shed winning pieces like DeMar DeRozan and Alex Caruso, it’s become clear that they’re ready to head in a much different direction. But LaVine’s three remaining years, worth $138 million, prevent them from doing just that.
While trade talks have quieted down for now, they are expected to pick up steam again soon. Hell, with the reality of the regular season starting to set in, I wouldn’t be surprised if we see trade rumors resurface before the regular season even begins. There are a handful of teams looking to stay in the title race, and who’s to say they aren’t starting to feel the pressure?
Let’s go over some teams that could make sense as a last-minute suitor for Zach LaVine.
Golden State Warriors
The Golden State Warriors continue to have their eyes on the trade market. According to Marc Stein, a longtime NBA insiderthe organization believes it remains “well positioned” for an upgrade at some point in the foreseeable future. And, well, it’s hard to disagree.
Whether it’s Jonathan Kuminga, Brandin Podziemski, Trayce Jackson-Davis or Moses Moody, the Warriors’ management has done a good job of compiling young assets over the past two seasons. Not to mention, they have more financial wiggle room after opting not to give Klay Thompson his net contract. Andrew Wiggins is also on the verge of signing the kind of deal that could prove valuable when it comes to making money work for another star. He’s owed $27.3 million per year.
With Stephen Curry still playing at a high level despite being 36, maximizing the Warriors’ remaining championship window is crucial. With that in mind, they certainly feel like a prime candidate to make a splash via the trade market sooner rather than later. That’s especially true after missing out on Lauri Markkanen and Paul George this summer.
Now, does that mean they’re going to turn to a disgruntled asset like Zach LaVine? No, and they certainly have have made their lack of interest in the double All-Star known so far. But things can change quickly in the NBA.
Since we talked about LaVine and the Warriors earlier this offseason, I’ll direct you in the sense of this article. In short, if Golden State wants to fill the void left by Klay Thompson with another elite off-ball offensive threat AND avoid losing too many, LaVine could be the perfect target. The Bulls don’t have much leverage, so the Warriors could still add an ultra-athletic player while still having the assets to do more in the future.
I really think Zach LaVine makes a lot of sense in The Bay.
The Los Angeles Lakers
If we’re talking about a Klutch client, we might as well be talking about the Los Angeles Lakers.
Unlike the Warriors, the Lakers have at least been discussed as a possible landing spot for a brief period. LeBron James and his teammates are coming off a first-round playoff exit and don’t appear to be real contenders for a trip to the NBA Finals in 2024-25. After all, the Lakers enjoyed excellent All-NBA seasons from Anthony Davis and James last year. Their inability to capitalize on that puts real pressure on the organization, especially since James’ retirement is now being discussed after every season.
Whether it’s going after Russell Westbrook or D’Angelo Russell, the Lakers have shown they’re not immune to a desperate move. Add in the free agency connections, and no one would be surprised if they suddenly became a Zach LaVine contender again tomorrow. Not to mention, LaVine could fill a pretty big void 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 for mistakes.
I recently saw a fake trade from Bleacher Report That sent Rui Hachimura, Austin Reaves, Jarred Vanderbilt, and Jaxson Hayes to Chicago for LaVine. All things considered, I’d make that trade in a heartbeat…which probably means the Lakers don’t care! A much more realistic deal would likely swap out 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 much sense.
Still, the Lakers are exactly the kind of team that could panic heading into the season. Not only do they need more athletic power to compete with some of the conference’s younger teams, but they also love stars. LaVine can sell jerseys on the West Coast.
The Los Angeles Clippers
Steve Ballmer isn’t afraid to make noise. The outgoing Clippers owner is about to open a new state-of-the-art arena, and the organization doesn’t seem to be looking to take a step back on the competitive front. While they may have let Paul George go this offseason, they did re-sign Kawhi Leonard long-term and retained James Harden.
The Clippers also remain one of the deepest teams in the league. Whether it’s the recent signing of Derrick Jones Jr. and Nic Batum or the steady presence of Norman Powell and Ivica Zubac, the Clippers have a pretty solid supporting cast. They may have to add some fuel to the fire to make room for LaVine, but it could also be worth it considering the spark he could provide on offense. Giving the 27-year-old a playmaker like James Harden could be perfect. Meanwhile, Leonard is on the other side to wreak havoc defensively.
The health of the team would obviously be a concern, but what’s new for the Clippers? LaVine would at least bring a level of transition scoring and athleticism that the team has lacked in recent years. Plus, I don’t see Ballmer doing the fiscally responsible thing for long. No one is more willing to spend money and live with the consequences than he is.
Wild Card: Denver Nuggets
Bear with me. I know this sounds crazy, but I also think it sounds a little less It’s crazy the more you think about it.
The Denver Nuggets haven’t necessarily had a great offseason. They lost key player Kentavious Caldwell-Pope to the Orlando Magic, and they’ve done little to fill that void. Management will now head into the upcoming season with a lot of weight placed on the shoulders of several young players. Players like Peyton Watson, Christian Braun and Julian Strawther will have to find ways to contribute at a high level. But can they do it, especially in a championship-themed environment?
The pairing of Zach LaVine and Jamal Murray wouldn’t be perfect. We also can’t ignore the very real concerns about the long-term health of both players. But there’s absolutely no denying that LaVine and Murray would be a powerful duo for Nikola Jokic to experiment with. Both are superb off-the-ball scorers who can hit three-pointers at a high volume. Can you also imagine a team with Aaron Gordon and Zach LaVine on the court? That level of explosiveness would be insane!
Of course, the only way this could work is if the Nuggets are willing to part ways with someone like Michael Porter Jr., who is entering the third year of a five-year, $179.3 million deal. It would be tough to let go of the 25-year-old, especially after he played a career-high 81 games last season. I also think the Nuggets understand that he would be far too much of a return for LaVine, which would make this trade really difficult to pull off. Still, the Nuggets have every reason to stay aggressive, and LaVine’s fit with Jokic could be tantalizing.
