The 2023–24 NBA season has only seen a few games for each team, but the rumor mill is already in full swing, with the Chicago Bulls once again at the center.
Before the Milwaukee Bucks acquired Damian Lillard, they were connected to a possible deal for him. This sparked speculations that they were interested in Tyler Herro from the Miami Heat. They were also considered as one of the possible destinations for Jrue Holiday’s trade before the Boston Celtics got him.
Nevertheless, the Philadelphia 76ers might be ready to attack after dealing James Harden.
In this transaction, they obtained two highly desirable first-round picks. “Those will be useful in a trade,” Chris Mannix of Sports Illustrated stated on October 31’s “Dan Patrick Show.” “People in the league have already told me that Zach LaVine in Chicago is likely to be investigated by Philadelphia.”
This season, LaVine is averaging 24.5 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 1.3 assists while shooting 29.4% from beyond the arc and 40% from the field. The two-time All-Star’s efficiency and assists are declining. However, in the past, he has had poor starts to seasons before rounding into his best form by the conclusion of the campaign.
Mannix added that, following the trade of Harden, the Sixers might chase OG Anunoby, a forward for the Toronto Raptors.
From the previous season’s trade deadline, Philadelphia, the Brooklyn Nets, and the New York Knicks were among the teams in communication with the Bulls about a potential trade for LaVine.
However, they were unable to proceed past the preliminary conversation.
“The Bulls, we already know they’re kind of going nowhere,” Mannix surmised. “LaVine solves the problem of an extra scorer and a ball-handler. … I think that will make Joel Embiid happy.”
More importantly, maybe, this might bring the Sixers closer to the Bulls’ purported asking price.
Sixers Might Pay the Rumored Asking Price of the Bulls
“One league source said the Bulls would be focused on getting a good young player, multiple first-round picks and salary filler if they decide to trade LaVine,” wrote NBC Sports Chicago Bulls insider K.C. Johnson on June 19. “Another said one first-round pick and an established, high-end player might be sufficiently intriguing.”
If the Sixers adhered to those rules, they might present a package that included their two first-round picks, veteran Tobias Harris, and third-year player Jaden Springer.
Bulls get:
- Tobias Harris
- Jaden Springer
- 2026 first-round pick (via PHI)
- 2028 first-round pick
76ers get:
- Zach LaVine
At this moment, Springer, the No. 28 overall pick in 2021, is more about promise than output. This season, he averaged 1.0 points in a career-high six minutes a game. Throughout his 16 games last season, he averaged a career-high 2.6 points.
For over ten years, Harris has been a productive player.
During his first three games of the season, he is averaging 19.7 points, 4.7 rebounds, and 2.0 assists while shooting 66.7% from the field and 54.5% from close range. If it holds, the points would be his best since 2020–21. And he could be more desirable to suitors in the last year of his five-year, $180 million contract.
Chances to Bet on Zach LaVine’s Upcoming Team
LaVine is currently in the second year of a $215 million, five-year contract. Therefore, if the Bulls are unable to come to an agreement with him, they are not under any pressure to trade him.
The Los Angeles Lakers and Miami Heat are listed as potential trading partners on websites like Bovada, but the rumors haven’t stopped there. But the Sixers are not one of those clubs.
This does not exclude LaVine from joining the Sixers in the future. The Bulls, though, are still making an effort to hold this present squad together. LaVine has stated that this group has to start achieving the kind of outcomes that their potential says they should. If not, it might be the end, and his trade might be the first domino to go down.