One NBA writer believes the Chicago Bulls will trade Zach LaVine during the 2023-24 season if they continue to be a mediocre team. Andy Bailey of Bleacher Report thinks LaVine “will almost certainly have the highest trade value” for the Bulls if the franchise decides to rebuild.
“The Chicago Bulls front office can reasonably point to the ongoing Lonzo Ball injury saga as the reason for the team’s mediocrity, but it doesn’t seem like that will end any time soon,” Bailey wrote in his latest NBA trade column. “And over the two seasons since DeMar DeRozan was acquired, Chicago is a thoroughly uninspiring minus-1.7 points per 100 possessions when he, Zach LaVine and Nikola Vučević are all on the floor. The Bulls are an even worse minus-2.6 when those three play without Lonzo.
“With no meaningful shake-up from this offseason and several teams in the East likely to improve, it’s hard to imagine that trend reversing. So, if Chicago remains in that bad-to-mediocre range a couple months into 2023-24, it’ll have to start thinking about breaking up that core. In that circumstance, LaVine will almost certainly have the highest trade value.”
NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: Zach LaVine, Chicago Bulls Updates
LaVine has appeared in 348 games with the Bulls. He’s averaging 24.5 points with Chicago and has made two All-Star teams. However, the Bulls have won only one playoff game since acquiring LaVine from the Minnesota Timberwolves in the summer of 2017 in the blockbuster Jimmy Butler trade.
The 28-year-old LaVine averaged 24.8 points, 4.5 rebounds and 4.2 assists for the Bulls in 2022-23. He will make $40 million next season. Chicago missed the playoffs last season after making it in 2022, which is why some NBA execs thought the franchise would rebuild this offseason.
LaVine is “not happy” his name keeps coming up in trade rumors, a league source told NBA Analysis Network. The Bulls have engaged several teams on LaVine trade opportunities since the 2022-23 season ended and the two-time Slam Dunk champion isn’t pleased by that.
“Zach is not happy he keeps seeing his name pop up in trade rumors year after year,” the NBA source said. “He’s represented the Bulls and the city of Chicago very well. He’s made two All-Star teams. He helped them get back to the playoffs. He’s played through several injuries. He hasn’t been a locker room cancer. For whatever reason, the Bulls keep dangling him in trade talks and it’s rubbing him the wrong way.”
NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: Zach LaVine, Chicago Bulls Updates
The source went on to say that he wouldn’t be surprised if LaVine doesn’t finish his contract with the Bulls. The UCLA product signed a five-year, $215.2 million deal with Chicago in July 2022.
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