With just a week to go until the 2023 NBA trade deadline, things have been relatively quiet around the league. There have been some rumors about teams seeking out upgrades, but no real movement has yet occurred on the trade front.
This deadline is lacking star power in large part because more teams are in the playoff race this season than in years past. There are only four teams, the Detroit Pistons, Charlotte Hornets, Houston Rockets, and San Antonio Spurs, that are more than four games out of a spot in the NBA Play-In Tournament.
That leaves teams looking to upgrade their roster with limited avenues to do so. But, one team that could change that landscape is the Chicago Bulls. Rivals around the league are certainly hoping that the Bulls opt to shake things up and become sellers at the deadline.
If that occurs, the playoff picture in the league could be altered drastically. One player that would draw a lot of attention on the market is Zach LaVine. LaVine signed a monster five-year, $215 million contract this past offseason but could be on the move depending on how much shaking up the franchise does.
According to Jake Fischer of Yahoo! Sports, his market would be a robust one. At least four teams have already been connected to him, and you can be sure others would make offers if he were to hit the market, including the Los Angeles Lakers, Miami Heat, New York Knicks, and Dallas Mavericks.
The Lakers, Heat, Knicks and Mavericks have consistently been mentioned by league personnel as holding motivations to land LaVine if the time does arrive. Portland also showed interest in signing LaVine last offseason, league sources told Yahoo Sports. Atlanta loomed as a potential LaVine destination before the Hawks splurged for Dejounte Murray.
Outside of the Atlanta Hawks, who landed their All-Star in Dejounte Murray in the offseason, all of the other teams mentioned are seeking that All-Star caliber player to put them over the top. Each could make a compelling offer as well.
NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: Zach LaVine, Chicago Bulls, Los Angeles Lakers, Miami Heat, New York Knicks, & Dallas Mavs Updates
The strongest offer would assuredly come from the New York Knicks, who are loaded with draft capital and young players. They engaged in trade talks with the Utah Jazz for Donovan Mitchell but came up short in that pursuit. Making a blockbuster trade is certainly within the realm of possibility for them.
The Los Angeles Lakers can make a compelling offer if they put their 2027 and 2029 first-round picks on the table with swaps in 2026 and 2028. Those would be premium assets given LeBron James and potentially Anthony Davis would be out of town by then.
NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: Zach LaVine, Chicago Bulls, Los Angeles Lakers, Miami Heat, New York Knicks, & Dallas Mavs Updates
The offseason would bring strong offers from elsewhere, but if the Bulls look to make a deal before the deadline next Thursday, the Lakers and Knicks make the most sense. They can offer the strongest deals, maximizing LaVine’s value.
