NEWSLETTER
Less than 24 hours after the end of the NBA Finals, the Chicago Bulls offseason rumors have begun!
The organization’s biggest storyline this offseason remains the future of Zach LaVine. One of the league’s worst-kept secrets is that both sides are ready for a divorce. All it could take is one party to express interest over the next couple of weeks to get the ball rolling, and we now have an idea of who that party might be.
According to Matt Moore of Action Network, the Sacramento Kings have kept an eye on the Bulls’ max player.
“The Sacramento Kings are going back to the well with the same trade package they offered Toronto twice for OG Anunoby and Pascal Siakam. The offer includes Harrison Barnes, Kevin Huerter and draft pick compensation. They’re known to have had calls with Chicago involving Zach LaVine and Alex Caruso,” Moore wrote.
You can read Moore’s full intel piece here.
Moore went on to say that the Kings would likely only pursue this path if they are unable to sign guard Malik Monk. The 26-year-old had a career year in 2023-24, averaging 15.4 points off the bench and finishing second in the Sixth Man of the Year voting. He’s expected to draw legitimate interest across the free-agent market, and those interested teams could offer him even more of an opportunity. If Monk sticks around in Sacramento, he’ll remain behind All-Star De’Aaron Fox as the team’s go-to guard.
With that in mind, it sure feels like the Kings are at real risk of losing Monk, so this LaVine nugget feels pretty darn noteworthy. I also can’t help but think of reports from earlier this season that connected these two sides. The Kings were name-dropped as a team LaVine had genuine interest in joining, and I have to imagine that’s music to the ears of a franchise that isn’t known to be a free-agent destination.
What Could a Zach LaVine-Kings Trade Look Like?
Nevertheless, the real question here is what a deal would look like. The salary matching is rather easy with Harrison Barnes and Kevin Huerter, as Moore notes. But would the Kings really give up two solid rotation players for LaVine?
While Huerter is coming off a down year, he’s still a 38.2 percent career 3-point shooter on high volume. Not to mention, he’s still only 25 years old. Harrison Barnes is also fresh off playing back-to-back 82 games seasons and has shot 38.7 percent from long range over the past six seasons! Anyone who joins me here on BN Bulls consistently knows I’m not in favor of the Bulls adding win-now talent, but these are the kind of players the front office could flip later on for real assets. In other words, it could be a pretty good return … maybe even too good?
Indeed, this might be why Moore also mentions the conversations the Kings have had about Alex Caruso. Do they want BOTH players? If so, their offer would have to look considerably sexier. Going with Harrison Barnes, Kevin Huerter, and Trey Lyles would easily make the money work, but would the Kings include the No. 13 pick in this year’s draft? Would the Bulls feel like that’s enough or would they want another protected first-rounder?
For what it’s worth, a move for LaVine wouldn’t come without risk for Sacramento. The Kings just signed Domantas Sabonis to a four-year, $186 million deal last summer and has Fox making $71.9 million over the next two years. Adding LaVine’s $138 million over the next three seasons would be a major decision for a small market franchise. At the same time, there is no denying that he’s a pretty natural fit for their high-paced, offensive-minded style. The Kings would have to get real creative with bolstering the defensive side of the ball, though.
My money isn’t on a deal between these two getting done right now, but this is precisely why we had a greater discussion about LaVine’s market earlier this summer. Things change fast in this league. LaVine’s market isn’t about to explode, but the Kings represent the kind of team that could become anxious this offseason.
They made the playoffs for the first time in 16 years during the 2022-23 season … only to immediately miss the mark again. The franchise has some upward momentum and doesn’t want to lose it. Through that lens, a two-time All-Star in Zach LaVine could look a lot more attractive over the next few months.
