NEWSLETTER
The Zach LaVine trade rumors weren’t going to stay away for long.
According to Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports, the Chicago Bulls’ two-time All-Star is coming up in conversations around the league. In fact, the Bulls are apparently the ones initiating those conversations.
Here’s exactly what Fischer wrote
“Wishful executives will keep their eyes peeled on Portland and Damian Lillard, but it’s the Chicago Bulls who have started contacting teams, quietly gauging the trade interest in Zach LaVine, league sources told Yahoo Sports. It remains to be seen just how willing Chicago is to part ways with LaVine, or if it receives a commensurate offer for his services. LaVine has four seasons remaining on his five-year, $215 million contract, and multiple teams have indicated the Bulls are holding a steep valuation for LaVine — one that’s likely to exceed what Washington can ultimately net for Beal.”
OH. BOY.
The first significant thing we should take away from Fischer is that the Bulls are reportedly the ones dialing numbers. Practically any time that LaVine trade rumors have entered the mix in the past, phrases such as “drawn interest” and “take offers” have been used. In other words, the idea has always been that Chicago’s dysfunction has led to other teams contacting them about a possible trade. Meanwhile, the Bulls have always stayed true to “continuity” and have seemingly rebuffed offers.
This, by contrast, appears to be the first time we’ve seen the Bulls noted as the organization reaching out to discuss a deal. And, well, that is pretty major news! Not only does it suggest that they are open to drastic changes this offseason, but it would signal even greater plans for a full-fledged rebuild.
Indeed, getting rid of LaVine is easily the most extreme change the team can make. He has been the fundamental building block of the franchise since the new regime took over three seasons ago. And they decided to double down on that fact by handing him a five-year, $215 million contract last summer. Not to mention, a LaVine trade would surely bring back the Bulls the most in return, potentially a nice young asset and multiple first-round picks to build around.
Now, Fischer did write that it remains unclear how willing the Bulls are to strike a deal, which is noteworthy. But the fact they are even making calls implies there is arguably more interest than ever before. I’d also have to imagine that there are a handful of teams returning that interest. Whether it be the Lakers, Heat, Mavericks, Knicks, or Trail Blazers, we know a handful of teams who have batted an eye at LaVine before. Plus, with more expensive options like Damian Lillard and Bradley Beal possible on the market, teams could view LaVine as the better option.
The last thing I’ll say for now is this: We should keep the New York Knicks at the top of our minds. There was a report at the trade deadline that the two sides were discussing a deal centered around Zach LaVine. While it’s unclear how far those talks actually got, the Knicks have long been connected to the Bulls’ star. They also have the obvious assets in both picks and young players to get a deal done, so it’s surely something to monitor.
