Portland Trail Blazers Receive: G Zach LaVine
Washington Wizards Receive: G Eric Bledsoe, C Jusuf Nurkic, 2022 First-Round Pick (POR), 2025 First-Round Pick (POR), 2025 First-Round Pick (MIL), 2026 First-Round Pick (CHI) 2028 First-Round Pick (POR)
Chicago Bulls Receive: G Bradley Beal
Here, the Chicago Bulls allow themselves to pick up roughly where they left off last season by including Portland in the deal.
After all, at full health, Beal is roughly LaVine’s equal. He’s less of a run-and-jump athlete, but he’s stronger and craftier. The end result is 25-30 relatively efficient points per game on an annual basis from both players.
A Beal-for-LaVine swap doesn’t make sense. LaVine is an unrestricted free agent. If he’s involved in a sign-and-trade, it’s going to be to a destination of his choosing. There’s no reason he’d choose a Washington Wizards team in a smaller market with a weaker supporting cast than the one he has in Chicago.
On the other hand, he could choose to team up with Damian Lillard. Speculation that he might has already made its way into the rumor mill. This deal allows him to do so, while also allowing his former Bulls to replace him.
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As for the Wizards, this deal gets them what they should probably be targeting if they’re trading Beal anyway: a boatload of draft picks.
