The Chicago Bulls will be one of the most interesting teams to monitor as we get closer to the trade deadline. At 8-13, the team is better than many anticipated they would be heading into the 2024-25 regular season, as the team is currently in the hunt for a play-in spot (11th in the Eastern Conference).
However, despite their relative success, the Bulls will likely be a seller at the deadline, as recent reports suggest that the team could be looking to move Zach LaVine, Nikola Vucevic, and Lonzo Ball.
The most intriguing of these names is LaVine. After a rough 2023-24 campaign, the two-time All-Star is now averaging 22 PPG on 63.8% true shooting (88th percentile). These totals have helped revive what was once a plummeting stock price for LaVine's value on the trade market.
The Sacramento Kings won't be trading for Zach LaVine
During the offseason, the Kings were rumored to be interested in LaVine. However, those reports came before the Kings executed a sign-and-trade to land LaVine's former teammate, DeMar DeRozan. And now that he is on their roster, the Kings are no longer in the running for LaVine. At least, that is how it was explained by NBA Insider Jake Fischer. Here is what he had to say about the matter:
"Forecasting potential landing spots for LaVine remains challenging — not because of his on-court production but due to the inescapable reality that the 29-year-old has two seasons to go beyond this one on his five-year, $215 million contract. It is no secret that Chicago has explored the trade market for LaVine for months … and realistically even longer. While Sacramento harbored interest for LaVine this past summer, sources say that the Kings are no longer an option after they landed DeRozan. Golden State also weighed a LaVine pursuit internally, sources said, but the Warriors do not presently have much interest. Detroit, once upon a time, might have loomed as the greatest possibility for a LaVine trade, but that was when the Pistons had proven sharpshooter Bojan Bogdanović to move. They have since installed a new leadership structure under Trajan Langdon. I've been advised that Detroit is not a likely destination for LaVine, either."
This news runs contrary to what we heard in October about the Kings still being interested in adding LaVine or Brandon Ingram. But, from an on-court perspective, it makes sense that they are taking themselves out of this race.
With DeRozan, De'Aaron Fox, Malik Monk, and Domantas Sabonis, the Kings already have enough scoring and playmaking (two things that LaVine excels at). What the team really needs to balance out their roster is spacing, size, and defense.
LaVine is a great shooter (42.9% 3-point shooter on 7.4 attempts per game), which makes him a strong spacer. But he doesn't play big (6'5) and he isn't a strong defender (7th in Defensive Estimated Plus-Minus, per Dunks & Threes). The Kings would be better off trying to acquire a role player who can give them those three attributes they are looking for.
On top of that, it would be pretty hard to make the money work in a potential LaVine trade. According to Spotrac, LaVine will be making at least 43 million dollars for the next two years (three if he accepts his player option in 2026-27). The Kings would probably need to trade one of the four players we mentioned above just to make the money work.
Sometimes, you hear a rumor and desperately hope it isn't true. This is not one of those situations.