Zach LaVine reportedly wants trade to Lakers, but is feeling mutual?
At its core, the latest report on the Bulls' search for a Zach LaVine trade echoes previous ones (including the reporting of NBC Sports): Right now there is no market for a LaVine trade, the Alex Caruso is not on the table and the Bulls want to trade LaVine before talking about DeMar DeRozan or anyone else. Chicago's front office hopes the LaVine market changes on Dec. 15 (when most of the players signed this summer become eligible to be traded) and really shifts on Jan. 15 (when the rest of the summer signees become available).
The one new tidbit of information from Joe Cowley of the Chicago Sun-Times is this: LaVine hopes to be a Laker.
The Bulls have been linked to the Lakers and Raptors in the rumor mill, but multiple sources said LaVine and his representation obviously want Los Angeles because of the Klutch Sports connection.
The Klutch connection has kept the NBA rumor mill churning with LaVine to the Lakers rumors, however, league sources have told NBC Sports that interest from the Lakers end is lukewarm. Maybe they're interested if the deal is a steal for them, but does that trade exist?
The Lakers couldn't make a reasonable deal until Jan. 15 — by then LaVine should be back on the court from the right foot inflammation that has sidelined him for up to a month — and even then Austin Reaves is not available (unless DeRozan/Caruso are part of the package, then only maybe). The Lakers' potential lowball offer would be something like D'Angelo Russell, Rui Hachimura and rookie Jalen Hood-Schifino plus a protected 2030 first-round pick going to Chicago for LaVine — and Los Angeles might even think that price too rich. (The Bulls may want Gabe Vincent instead of Hood-Schifino.) Like every other team in the West, the Lakers need to view any trade through a "does this help us against Denver in a playoff series?" prism and swapping out Russell (a more proven playoff player than LaVine) and the size and defense of Hachimura for LaVine doesn't help that matchup.
LaVine is an elite isolation scorer — averaging 21 points a game this season, and for his career shooting 38.2% from 3 — but he's not seen as a guy who impacts winning at a high level and has trouble staying healthy. However, the bigger issue is LaVine makes $40 million this season and has three years, $138 million on the books after this. That has teams — including the Lakers — hesitant to make a move. If the Lakers trade LaVine, he becomes part of their future as his contract runs almost as long as Anthony Davis' with his new extension. (LeBron James has a player option for next season at $51.4 million, so he can be a free agent or the Lakers can extend his deal as well.)
With LaVine currently in street clothes due to the foot injury, expect there to be talk but little action on the LaVine trade front until mid-January and the real ramp-up to the Feb. 8 trade deadline starts. There will be a lot of Lakers rumors between now and then — and Rich Paul and Klutch may push for it — but it's hard to see the Lakers being all that eager to add LaVine.
