Zach LaVine Trade Rumors Heating Up As Chicago Bulls Start Uncertain Season

NBA star swingman Zach LaVine has been a core member of the Bulls since 2017, but that could change if the team doesn't start showing signs of improvement. According to Sam Amico of Hoops Wire, LaVine could become available by February or sooner, depending on how the Bulls are performing leading up to the deadline. 

"Shooting guard Zach LaVine could also be moved if the Bulls get off to a slow start or are hovering around .500 (or worse) at the February trade deadline," wrote Amico. "The Bulls were open to trading LaVine during the offseason, though they weren’t actively shopping him. Other teams checked in, but Chicago reportedly has a massive asking price."

LaVine, 28, is far from the perfect young star but he brings the kind of scoring punch that could benefit many teams across the league. Last season, though 77 games for the Bulls, he put up 24.8 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 4.2 assists per game on 48% shooting. While no trade is imminent for now, the Bulls are clearly open to a deal if they get the right kind of offer.

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Who Will Trade For LaVine?

The biggest question among the experts right now is which team will be the one to trade for LaVine. As a young scoring guard in his prime, LaVine could draw interest from several teams if the Bulls made him available. The Clippers are one of the major teams looking for an upgrade in the backcourt this season and it makes sense for them to look at LaVine if they don't get Harden.

Another potential landing spot for Zach is the New York Knicks. We know that the Knicks already have a leading point guard with Jalen Brunson, but they could use RJ Barrett as the centerpiece in a deal for LaVine. With this move, the Knicks could fill in some gaps offensively while adding some additional star power at the time time. For now, it remains to be seen which teams have a real interest in LaVine, but the amount of interest from teams would really depend on the asking price from the Knicks.

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Chicago Bulls Are A Total Mystery

Of course, LaVine isn't going anywhere if the Bulls don't allow it. But the question is, what will it take for them to start over? Following years of mediocrity, the Bulls have ignored the calls for them to rebuild and start over. Instead, the front office has decided to stand PAT and wait things out. Even with LaVine, DeRozan, and Vucevic, the Bulls are unlikely to get very far without their starting point guard Lonzo Ball, who has already been ruled out for the upcoming season.

It seems inevitable now that the Bulls will be moving on from this core in the near future, and the road ahead for them is likely several additional years of lottery selections, scouting, and player development. Meanwhile, for LaVine, the best he can hope for is that he is moved before things get too ugly but it will be interesting to see what kind of haul he goes for, and which teams will step up with a legitimate trade package.

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