One NBA writer is proposing that the Chicago Bulls trade star Zach LaVine to the Miami Heat for shooting guard Tyler Herro.
Zach Buckley of Bleacher Report proposed that the Bulls send LaVine to the Heat for Herro, forward Nikola Jović, sharpshooter Duncan Robinson and two first-round picks. The goal would be for Miami to add a win-now talent while Chicago could get a rebuilding return.
“If the Bulls subtract pieces this summer, they could selectively let go of a few vets and still hope to remain competitive. But what would that actually accomplish? Maybe they could scrap for a back-end playoff ticket, but that’s teetering too close to getting stuck in the dreaded middle,” Buckley wrote. “If Chicago alters its course, it should lean all the way into a rebuild. The Bulls need top-shelf assets, and a LaVine trade is their best bet to find them.
The rationale is that the Bulls are unlikely to find a greater trade return for LaVine than one that features Herro, along with draft capital. Robinson’s contract is now more tradeable after this year’s playoffs, and Jović should be of interest as a young prospect.
“This is as good as any package Chicago could hope to land. Tyler Herro has serious centerpiece potential,” Buckley wrote. “He has averaged at least 20 points, five rebounds and four assists in each of the past two seasons, and he just turned 23 in January. Tack on Nikola Jović (last summer’s No. 27 pick) and two first-round picks (one this summer, one in 2027 or beyond), and that’s a big enough return to justify taking on the remainder of Duncan Robinson’s deal.
NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: Zach LaVine, Chicago Bulls & Miami Heat Updates
It’s crucial for the Heat to make the most of Jimmy Butler’s remaining window as a top NBA talent. Making an upgrade from Herro to LaVine could go a long way in maximizing it.
“This is plenty for the Heat to part with, but it might make sense to pay a massive price given this club’s offensive issues (the ones that existed before the playoffs tipped) and Jimmy Butler’s ticking clock,” Buckley wrote. “Zach LaVine could step in and serve as the go-to scoring option this team needs to carry the load until it’s time for Playoff Jimmy to take over.”
LaVine is one of the top scorers in the NBA. The two-time All-Star averaged 24.8 points in 2022-23 for the Bulls while shooting 48.5% from the field, 37.5% from beyond the arc and 84.8% from the free-throw line. LaVine signed a five-year, $215.2 million deal with Chicago in July 2022. He will make $40.1 million next season.
NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: Zach LaVine, Chicago Bulls & Miami Heat Updates
The Bulls missed the playoffs this season, so they could look to break up their Big 3 of LaVine, DeMar DeRozan and Nikola Vuecevic.
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