Trade rumors involving almost every player on the Chicago Bulls have intensified in the midst of the team’s dismal start. NBA insider Shams Charania recently revealed that the Bulls and former All-Star Zach LaVine are considering a split.
Chicago Bulls Are Willing to Trade an All-Star?
A few days following the rumors that NBA teams were “watching the Bulls’ decline,” Charania reported that there was “openness on both sides” regarding a Chicago LaVine trade.
With 11 games played, the Bulls’ net rating of -3.8 is among the bottom 10 in the league. LaVine leads the Bulls in minutes, attempts on shots, and points, but he has been the team’s first option inefficiently. This season, the former All-Star is shooting a career-low three-point percentage and one of his lowest field goal percentages. LaVine has played in a number of games with a field goal percentage below 35%, which has frustrated Bulls supporters. The Bulls’ mediocrity along with his ineffective play make trading the All-Star player more of a “when” than a “if” decision.
Buying LaVine Only Addresses Part of Chicago’s Issues
Although exchanging LaVine for assets is a good idea, Chicago’s recovery will take time to materialize. After trading for LaVine, the Bulls have two options.The first is to trade Nikola Vucevic or DeMar DeRozan in addition to accelerating the rebuilding process. The club may decide to go into a tank phase and then hope to win big in a later draft after they get picks for their current veteran players. Alternatively, they could retool around DeRozan, Vucevic, and the rest of their mostly veteran roster using whatever assets they acquire in exchange for LaVine. It’s possible that Chicago’s front office believes DeRozan and LaVine are unnecessary and is sticking with a DeRozan-heavy squad. This retool would be the more appealing choice if Bulls executives Artūras Karnišovas and Marc Eversley don’t think tanking is the best course of action.
In any case, the Bulls still have a long list of issues to address. After a possible LaVine trade, more decisions need to be made if Chicago hopes to stay relevant.
Benefits of a New Environment for LaVine
Having a player of LaVine’s caliber is still very valuable, even with his unproductive start. As this is only LaVine’s tenth season, few people in the league anticipate that his dismal start will continue. Throughout his NBA career, LaVine has demonstrated above-average three-point shooting, a talent that all teams highly value. Being a dynamic offensive weapon who can score 40–50 points any given night, he is a two-time All-Star. Although starting him doesn’t seem like a good idea for a team, how good is Lavine in comparison to some other top players in their prime? LaVine’s comeback and the receiving team’s success might go hand in hand with that.
The Final Word
LaVine is averaging 21.9 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 3.0 assists this season while shooting 30.9% from three and 40.9% from the field. The former All-Star still has valuable offensive to offer any team that needs him, even after a lackluster first few games. Several opposing teams will surely be looking at the possibility of obtaining the All-Star scorer’s skills while the Bulls consider their options.