With news surfacing this week that Chicago has been aggressively trying to rid themselves of their two-time All-Star shooting guard, three destinations have been mentioned as his most likely landing spot. According to K.C. Johnson of NBC Chicago, the Bulls have floated 15 trades across the league, attempting to move on from the face of their franchise over the past seven seasons. The Sacramento Kings, Philadelphia 76ers, and Orlando Magic are specified among that group. What can each of these franchises afford to pay for LaVine’s services, and what can the Bulls use to retool or rebuild for the future?
Sacramento Kings
It’s no surprise to Bulls fans that the Kings are on this short list of destinations for Zach LaVine. One of the leading candidates to land the two-time All-Star at this and last year’s trade deadlines, no deal was reached because both clubs wanted to remain competitive, and the Kings likely offered aging talent or weak draft capital. Chicago’s price tag on their star guard has expectedly fallen as each season passes, and now he’s at an all-time discount.
Most reports have the Kings slated to swap their aging veteran wings for the gamble of LaVine’s elite scoring despite his lucrative contract and injury history.
Sacramento Kings receive: Zach LaVine (29) ($43 million)
Chicago Bulls receive: Harrison Barnes (32) ($18 million) , Kevin Huerter (25) ($16 million) , Davion Mitchell (25) ($6 million)
In this potential deal, Chicago adds young flyers to its perimeter and a veteran presence in Barnes. This swap would likely result in parting ways with Barnes immediately, concluding in a salary dump after LaVine’s departure.
Philadelphia 76ers
Daryl Morey and the 76ers front office have been known to pursue star power heavily. With the highly likely divorce from Tobias Harris after six seasons, they’ll be in the market for a new perimeter star. While Paul George’s name has been all the buzz for the 76ers over the past month, LaVine could represent a cheaper and less polarizing option.
Philadelphia 76ers receive: Zach LaVine (29) ($43 million)
Chicago Bulls receive: Buddy Hield (31) ($19 million) , Robert Covington (33) ($12 million) , 2024 Second Round Pick (41)
This would require two sign-and-trade scenarios from both Hield and Covington and would see Chicago’s second-round selection return to the Bulls. They’d add two veteran perimeter players specializing in three-point shooting, a category the Bulls have lacked over the past three seasons.
Orlando Magic
Still scarred from the nightmare of a deal that Nikola Vucevic cascaded into a few trade deadlines ago, a potential trade with the Magic causes an immediate knee-jerk reaction from Bulls fans. This deal is the least likely to happen due to Orlando’s playoff presence a year ago.
Paulo Banchero earned the franchise’s first All-Star nod since 2021 and led the team to their first playoff appearance since 2019-20 and most wins in the postseason since the 2009-10 campaign. Making a move for Zach LaVine would not only cost them young assets who contributed to that postseason run but also shake up the hierarchy by adding a two-time All-Star veteran who mainly plays with the ball in his hands and averages over 15 shot attempts per game over his career.
Which of these three spots will make the most substantial offer for Zach LaVine, and are the Bulls forced to settle on veteran talent or weak draft capital at this stage?
