With NBA training camp two weeks away we will be taking a look at the offseason of more of the teams I follow closely over the next couple weeks. The Los Angeles Lakers made some moves over the summer but nothing that did much other then bolster the depth in their roster by adding Quincy Olivari and Jordan Goodwin in the last month. So today’s article is about the oft-rumored trade that will send Zach LaVine out to Los Angeles.
While LaVine is a dynamic offensive player, the Bulls have struggled to find the right fit around him since Lonzo Ball got injured a couple season ago. With no Lauri Markkanen-level player currently on the market, the time might be right to honor LaVine’s request and look for a deal that could reshape the team’s roster.
The Lakers, led by LeBron James and Anthony Davis, are always looking to bolster their title chances, and adding a player like LaVine could give them a huge offensive boost. LaVine’s ability to score at all three levels, especially in transition, would take pressure off LeBron and give the Lakers another go-to option. For the Bulls, sending LaVine to the Lakers could bring back valuable pieces for their own future, especially considering his trade request last year, which may still be lingering beneath the surface. In the last couple weeks my fellow writer Gaurav Garg suggested I listen to this episode of the locked on Lakers podcast where they start the show off by discussing a trade that could send D’Angelo Russel and one or two other players to the Bulls for LaVine.
One potential trade scenario would involve Zach LaVine heading to the Lakers in exchange for D’Angelo Russell, Rui Hachimura, and a future first-round pick. Russell, while not as explosive as LaVine, brings playmaking and shooting to the table. His ability to hit outside shots and run the offense would give the Bulls a more balanced approach. Unlike LaVine, whose game is more centered around scoring, Russell can facilitate and operate as a combo guard.
Hachimura, a young, versatile forward, would offer the Bulls a chance to develop another player with real upside. While he’s not quite the star that Lauri Markkanen became, Hachimura’s defensive ability, combined with his potential to score both inside and outside, would be a solid addition to the Bulls’ frontcourt alongside Nikola Vučević. His size and athleticism also fit into the kind of high-motor play the Bulls have been searching for.
Then there’s the future first-round pick. The Lakers have historically traded away picks to stay competitive in the short term, and for Chicago, that’s an opportunity to grab a valuable future asset. Whether it’s drafting a player down the line or flipping that pick in another trade, the Bulls could use this deal to help retool their roster with a better long-term outlook.
From the Lakers’ perspective, bringing in LaVine would inject energy into their offense and give them another star to lean on. LaVine’s ability to score in isolation and his athleticism in transition would fit perfectly with the up-tempo style the Lakers thrive in. Under the leadership of LeBron James, LaVine could also mature as a postseason performer, something that’s been missing from his career to date.
Here’s the thing folks: While it might seem like a bad idea for the lakers to trade Russel and Hachimura for LaVine because of LaVine’s injury history paired with his his massive contract over the next two seasons. This trade actually makes a ton of sense now with the moves they made to add depth to their lineup this summer. For the Bulls trading LaVine may seem like a tough decision for the Bulls, but with his trade request from last season looming and no other star-level players like Lauri Markkanen available.
With that… it’ll be interesting to see Lakers and Bulls make a deal of any sort involving LaVine in the next few months.
If you cannot play with them, then root for them!