Mark Blinch/Getty ImagesThe Chicago Bulls may need “another asset to move” the contract of Zach LaVine ahead of the Feb. 8 trade deadline, according to K.C. Johnson of NBC Sports Chicago.
LaVine has struggled with injuries and inconsistency throughout his 2023-24 campaign, averaging just 19.5 points per game on 45.2/34.9/85.4 shooting splits in his 25 appearances. This has led to his name cropping up in trade rumors, although it appears that the remainder of his five-year, $215 million contract is scaring away potential suitors.
LaVine still has two guaranteed years left on his deal worth roughly $43 million and $46 million, respectively. He also has a $48.9 million player option for the 2026-27 season that he can exercise.
Although the Bulls have reportedly been hesitant to attach assets to his contract in trade talks so far, there is an alternative option of Chicago accepting a lesser return in order to gain more future cap space.
“An alternative could be to merely move LaVine as a salary dump for expiring contracts, although NBC Sports Chicago has previously reported that the Bulls weren’t at that stage yet,” Johnson wrote. “Plus, of course, it would take another team willing to do that.”
One potential suitor could be the Detroit Pistons, as ESPN’s Zach Lowe revealed on Friday that Detroit’s interest in the former All-Star is “real” during an episode of The Lowe Post. The two teams have had trade conversations in the past involving LaVine, according to James L. Edwards III of The Athletic.
With the Bulls sitting at 23-26 and DeMar DeRozan set to enter unrestricted free agency at the end of the season, it seems as though Chicago will attempt to build the team around young players such as Coby White moving forward. LaVine, who’ll be 29 years old in March, doesn’t fit that timeline.
Source : Bleacher Report