The Los Angeles Lakers are interested in acquiring Chicago Bulls shooting guard Zach LaVine. However, the Lakers won’t trade Austin Reaves to the Bulls to get LaVine, according to Jovan Buha of The Athletic.
LaVine has the same agent (Rich Paul of Klutch Sports Group) as Lakers All-Stars LeBron James and Anthony Davis. The two-time All-Star played college basketball at UCLA and said in 2020 that he would love to play with LeBron.
LaVine is averaging 21.7 points, 4.9 rebounds and 3.0 assists this season while shooting 40.7% from the field, 33.0% from beyond the arc and 87.1% from the free-throw line. The two-time Slam Dunk Contest winner scored a career-high 51 points on October 28 versus the Detroit Pistons.
NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: Austin Reaves, Los Angeles Lakers, Zach LaVine, Chicago Bulls Updates
Reaves, who is coming off the bench for the Lakers now, is averaging 13.6 points, 5.3 rebounds and 4.8 assists this season while shooting 44.3% overall, 34.0% from 3 and 80.6% from the foul line. He can’t be traded until January 15.
The most likely framework of a LaVine deal for the Lakers would center around D’Angelo Russell, who waived his implied no-trade clause this past offseason. It’d also need to feature Rui Hachimura or Gabe Vincent as additional matching salary, another player and either the team’s 2029 or 2030 first-round pick.
The Lakers would realistically have to wait until at least December 15, when most of their roster becomes trade-eligible, to acquire LaVine.
NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: Austin Reaves, Los Angeles Lakers, Zach LaVine, Chicago Bulls Updates
The Lakers’ biggest concern in a potential LaVine trade is his massive contract. In addition to his $40.1 million salary for 2023-24, LaVine is owed $138 million over the next three years, which includes a $49 million player option in 2026-27.
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