Zach LaVine – Chicago Bulls
Zach LaVine’s name has been brought up a lot in NBA trade rumors and much of it is because of the lack of success the Chicago Bulls have experienced over the years. The 25-year old guard is playing at the highest level of his NBA career now and if Chicago cannot turn things around quickly, he may want out and to be traded to a team that is invested in wanting to win now.
The Bulls have missed the playoffs for three consecutive seasons and while they definitely have some young players with a lot of potential, they are several years away from being legit playoff threats. Keep in mind, Zach LaVine is under contract only through the 2021-22 NBA season.
As a result, it makes a lot of sense for them to trade Zach LaVine while his value is as high as it will be in his career and get a few draft picks and some young talent to build with for years to come.
Whether or not the Bulls decide to trade Zach LaVine remains a big question and storyline that will be brought up throughout the 2020-21 NBA season, but it would really be in their best interest to do so.
The only two ways this team can grow into a playoff team is if they acquire one or two All-Star talents, or if they continue to draft high-level prospects and take the “Golden State Warriors” approach to build a championship contender. How long would Zach LaVine be willing to wait for the Bulls to achieve such a thing?
Either way, it will take time and patience for this Bulls organization, which is something Zach LaVine may not have anymore. He has improved significantly year-in and year-out, but the rest of the team certainly hasn’t followed suit.
Consistently losing and being the leader of the team takes a toll on you and for Zach LaVine, the best years of his career are currently being wasted. Sticking around with the Bulls may not end up resulting in a change in the right direction.
Zach LaVine actually has a fairly big trade market right now, as it has been rumored that the Mavericks, Heat, Knicks, Nuggets, 76ers and Nets have all had some interest in the young guard. The 6’6” combo-guard is definitely a championship caliber player and if traded to the right team, he could definitely shift the momentum in the league.
