If you pay attention, you can read the tea leaves around the NBA. Some teams make their intentions clear. Perhaps their players let comments slip in public. Other times, you can look at their situation and draw obvious conclusions.
Take the Chicago Bulls. This team will blow up their roster at this year’s deadline if they’re underperforming. It’s obvious. The Bulls were wildly disappointing in 2022-23. They aren’t going to stay on this course for long. By every indication, they’re considering some sweeping changes.
Does that mean trading Zach LaVine? Not necessarily. It’s more likely to mean trading DeMar DeRozan and Nikola Vucevic. LaVine is young enough to re-tool around.
At the same time, if the Bulls wanted an entirely fresh start, they could look to move their best player. Here are three teams that we think should be interested in him.
Philadelphia 76ers
The Philadelphia 76ers may not be the most obvious suitor. They don’t have the asset base to get a straight swap done. With that said, they do have James Harden. Meanwhile, he’s issued a trade request. With some creativity, the Sixers could make this work.
It won’t be easy. The Sixers will have to be creative to turn Harden into LaVine. They’ll also have to be willing to spend. If they make this happen, they’ll have to involve a third team.
In all likelihood, the Sixers would have to trade Harden to the third team and a first-round pick to the Bulls, with that third team sending out more draft capital to Chicago in return for Harden.
NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: Zach LaVine, Chicago Bulls, Philadelphia 76ers Updates
This is a possible situation. It may prove difficult. The Sixers may struggle to find a team that’s willing to move the type of draft capital that the Bulls will expect to receive from an expiring Harden. In that event, the Bulls may have to look elsewhere.
Brooklyn Nets
By contrast, the Brooklyn Nets have ample draft capital to spare. If they want LaVine, and he’s on the market, they can probably land him. The Nets have upcoming first-round picks from all around the NBA.
They don’t have their own picks. Once again, Harden rears his bearded head. The Nets traded their first-round picks, whether outright or via swap, to the Houston Rockets through to 2027 in order to receive Harden. So, this team has no incentive to tank.
Does that mean they should make a move for LaVine? It depends on who you ask. Adding a dynamic offensive guard like LaVine would certainly make this team stronger.
NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: Zach LaVine, Chicago Bulls, Brooklyn Nets Updates
On the other hand, they could feel as though they’re making a large commitment to a non-contending team. Is there a team with a cleaner salary sheet who could be intrigued by LaVine?
New York Knicks
Like the Brooklyn Nets, the New York Knicks have the means to get a deal done. Unlike the Knicks, they could justify feeling like they’re a piece away from title contention. The Knicks won a playoff series last year. They could rationally say that by adding LaVine, they put themselves in a position to win more.
Is LaVine the right piece? That’s not an easy question. The Knicks were an outstanding offensive team last year. They were a mediocre defensive group. LaVine is an outstanding offensive player and a mediocre defender. This is not an obvious fit.
At the same time, the Knicks could double down on offense. They’d likely still have Mitchell Robinson anchoring their defense – the Knicks shouldn’t be totally lost on that end.
NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: Zach LaVine, Chicago Bulls, New York Knicks Updates
Meanwhile, it’s been clear that they’ve been considering trading for a star for some time – all you’ve got to do is read the tea leaves.
