If the Chicago Bulls decide to trade Zach LaVine, here are three avenues that feel mutually beneficial.
With under three minutes left in the final Eastern Conference play-in game, the Chicago Bulls led the Miami Heat. We know how that story ended: Miami came back, sent Chicago packing, and rocketed all the way to the NBA Finals. Meanwhile, the Bulls are left searching for answers.
Chicago is too old to rebuild, but clearly not good enough to compete. With limited trade chips and a few distressed assets (mainly Nikola Vucevic, who is in line for an inexplicable three-year extension), it's hard to decipher the right path forward unless that path is a complete tear-down.
Any complete tear-down starts with the team's best player. In this case, it's Zach LaVine, who averaged 24.8 points and 4.2 assists on .485/.375/.848 splits last season. Chicago is reportedly surveying the LaVine trade market on the down low, according to Jake Fischer of Yahoo.
LaVine's age (28), injury history, and contract size (three years, $138 million remaining) make him a difficult player to gauge the price of on the open market. His deal is slightly shorter and slightly less expensive than Bradley Beal, who just got traded for what amounts to a bunch of second-round picks and expiring money. One has to imagine the Bulls can get more, but how much more is the question.
No. 3 Bulls Zach LaVine trade: 3-way Kyrie Irving deal
Let's get creative here. Say Kyrie Irving spurns Dallas for another contender, maybe a more established winner in a more enjoyable locale. Let's say, for example, the Miami Heat make Irving their next star conquest.
The Mavs would have to agree to terms on a sign-and-trade but frankly, the Heat can't offer much that should interest the win-now Mavs. Irving could leave Dallas with very little choice, but Tyler Herro? Duncan Robinson? Does that really move the needle?
In comes Chicago with another star-level guard ready to help Dallas plug their Irving-sized void next to Doncic in the backcourt. LaVine won't occupy the mid-range quite like Irving, but he gives Dallas another ball-handler and volume shooter who can put pressure on the rim and lead the charge offensively when Doncic sits.
The fit between Irving and Doncic is frankly a tad cleaner, but LaVine should have no trouble finding seams in the rotating defense while opponents load up to stop Doncic. He's still in his prime despite all the injury concerns and, when healthy, LaVine is a vastly underrated offensive engine. He can really put the defense on skates and generate offense not only for himself, but also for others.
The Heat grab Irving and get more star power to aid next year's title chase. The Bulls start their rebuild with Tyler Herro, the No. 18 pick, and a protected future first-round pick way down the line when Miami may or may not still be good.
No. 2 Bulls Zach LaVine trade: Knicks for R.J. Barrett, Mitchell Robinson
The New York Knicks are known star hunters. If the Knicks don't feel great about their odds of getting Damian Lillard, Joel Embiid, or Karl-Anthony Towns, then Zach LaVine could be a worthwhile contingency plan.
Contract and injury worries aside, LaVine is still a perennial All-Star candidate who can elevate the Knicks' stagnant offense. He would form a deadly backcourt tandem with Jalen Brunson, giving New York two guards who operate at vastly different speeds. LaVine loves to skate down the lane with his explosive first step. Brunson can put defenders in jail with stop-start handles. Defenses would not have fun keeping them in check.
New York also has an excellent playmaking vehicle in the frontcourt in Julius Randle, who could unlock new aspects of LaVine's game working out of DHOs or pick-and-rolls. The fit on paper between LaVine and New York's current star-power apparatus is strong.
LaVine has experience playing under Tom Thibodeau, who traded LaVine from Minnesota to Chicago when he was in charge of the Timberwolves' front office. As long as there's no lingering resentment, that familiarity could go a long way toward acclimating LaVine into the Knicks' system.
As for Chicago, this is a pretty simple reset: two upside bets in Mitchell Robinson, who can anchor the defense and simultaneously nix the need to re-sign Nikola Vucevic to some ungodly extension, as well as R.J. Barrett. The latter has run extremely hot or cold since being drafted with the No. 3 pick in 2019, but he's a monster athlete who can pressure the rim and score in bunches. If the defense and/or 3-point shooting come along eventually, there's still a path to high-level contributions.
No. 1 Bulls Zach LaVine trade: Rockets for Kevin Porter Jr.
The Houston Rockets are primed to make extremely rash and ill-advised decisions this summer in order to speed up their rebuild. New head coach Ime Udoka arrived with a general understanding that the team was ready to take the next step forward.
James Harden has been the primary offseason target tied to Houston, for obvious reasons. The connection between Harden and the city is strong and he can certainly appreciate the finer points of living in Houston. The Rockets likely envision Harden as a bridge connecting the present to the future; maybe they don't contend, but he's a genius playmaker who can teach young teammates winning habits while putting them in a better position to succeed offensively. It's the Tyrese Maxey playbook from Philly.
That said, the odds of Harden returning to Houston appear to be slipping. If the Rockets really want a star and can't get Harden, maybe their attention turns elsewhere to a player like LaVine. He's extremely affordable due to the aforementioned contract and injury concerns, but he is absolutely talented enough to lift Houston out of the NBA basement (how far out is another question).
LaVine and Jalen Green would form the most athletic backcourt in the NBA. Throw Cam Whitmore or Amen Thompson into the mix with the No. 4 pick, and the Rockets are going to single-handedly populate the dunk contest during All-Star weekend. LaVine would give the Rockets another dose of rim pressure and 3-point shooting out of the backcourt. He has also vastly improved as a playmaker in recent years; Houston would put his chops to the test by essentially handing him the reigns offensively. Sengun-LaVine is a fun combo to theorize about in two-man actions.
For Chicago, it's simple: Get out from under LaVine's contract, get a couple of interesting pieces in Kevin Porter Jr. and Jae'Sean Tate, and get into the 2023 NBA Draft mix. Porter oozes talent but there are questions about his ability to play winning basketball. Billy Donovan is a good coach to get him focused on the details. Tate is more of a veteran stopgap who could potentially get flipped to a contender for more assets down the line.
