Zach LaVine
Since joining the Bulls, Zach LaVine has been their best player year-in and year-out, averaging 22.0 points, 4.5 rebounds, 2.9 assists, 1.2 steals and shooting 43.3% from the floor and 36.5% from three-point range. LaVine has been this organization’s only bright spot as they have won just 71 games since acquiring him as they have been rebuilding for years now.
In his fourth year now with Chicago, the Bulls have had three straight seasons failing to eclipse 27-wins and are projected to finish near the bottom of the league once again. If the Bulls continue to struggle up to the NBA trade deadline, Zach LaVine could absolutely ask to be traded and the Rockets should try and do everything they can to land the potential All-Star.
Not only is Zach LaVine a high-level, All-Star like talent, but he is a player that the Houston Rockets could trade for and keep for many years to come. LaVine has been a fantastic player over the years for the Chicago Bulls and was a border-line All-Star last year. In 60 games last year, LaVine averaged 25.5 points, 4.8 rebounds, 4.2 assists and shot 45% from the floor and 38% from three-point range.
He is putting up even better numbers this year and should be a NBA All-Star for the first time in his career, but he will likely get snubbed again since the Bulls are not a great overall team. With the Rockets, LaVine and Oladipo could wind up complimenting each other quite well given their unselfish styles of play and their athleticism.
Both guys are pretty versatile players and have been scoring machines over the course of their careers. With LaVine, Oladipo, Wood, Wall and Cousins moving forward, the Rockets could have an experienced and well-balanced group of players who all are playing with a chip-on-their-shoulders.
Plenty of teams will be in the market for Zach LaVine should he become available, so if the Rockets were to land the young guard, they would likely have to trade some of the draft capital they just received from Brooklyn for James Harden, as well as one or two role players like Eric Gordon and/or P.J. Tucker.
