Zach LaVine’s name was a common theme in the Bleacher Report’s trade buzz summary. Last week, Yahoo Sports’ Jake Fischer reported that the Bulls have tried to “swap LaVine for other All-Star players,” including Cleveland’s 23-year-old Darius Garland. Anyone who pays attention to the NBA knows this is a laughable trade offer, and now the national media is catching on. Why is this such an egregious offer, and what can the Bulls expect back from their two-time All-Star guard?
Garland Is Miles Ahead Of LaVine
Chicago is brave for picking up the phone for this hail mary of an offer. Darius Garland is better than Zach LaVine in virtually any angle one could take.
Skill level: Garland averages three fewer points than LaVine on similar efficiency numbers but averages nearly seven assists over his career compared to LaVine, who averages less than four. LaVine is also much less versatile, his only skill being scoring at an elite level. Garland is a better facilitator, defender, and overall basketball IQ guard.
Age: Garland is 23 years old with one All-Star selection compared to LaVine, 28 years old with two All-Star nominations. Neither has any All-NBA nods, and each has appeared in one playoff series, falling short in the first round.
Contract: Garland will make an average of $39 million annually and is only locked up until he’s 28. LaVine will make $43 annually over the next four seasons and is contracted until he’s 31.
This would be a steal for the Chicago Bulls, who would make out with the cheaper, younger, and more talented guard in this hypothetical swap. This was an easy one to turn down for Cleveland.
LaVine’s Value Depleting
If Chicago would have pulled the trigger on a LaVine deal at either of the last two trade deadlines, the return may have been as lucrative as Donovan Mitchell or Rudy Gobert’s were departing Utah. Opting to hold onto their newly inked star, the Bulls now struggle to find a suitor for his abysmal contract, inconsistencies on the court, and disgruntled manners off of it. As a top-15 paid player leaguewide this season, he’s the only one on the list with only one playoff victory and no All-NBA nods. Chicago’s 6-3 resurgence in his absence since going 5-14 with him in the lineup makes for an even more difficult product to market or sell.
A more accurate return that can be anticipated for LaVine would be a package around a much less established player, future draft capital, or an overpaid aging role player. The over $40 million salary he’s due this season is tough for trade partners to match and would take several add-ins to reach that mark.
Someone like Jaden Ivey or RJ Barrett would be a more realistic centerpiece in exchange for the current state of Zach LaVine. Both are less established young players who could benefit from a change of scenery. A package around D’Angelo Russell or Kevin Huerter and Harrison Barnes has also been suggested as possibilities in future trade packages.
The sooner LaVine can return to action, the quicker he can re-establish his standard numbers, raise his stock on the trade market, and find a new home. How soon can Chicago pull the trigger, and what’s the best they can profit from their 28-year-old star?
