The Los Angeles Lakers and Chicago Bulls could make a big trade this winter that would benefit both franchises.
While Chicago and LA are on opposite ends of the contender spectrum, that actually makes them convenient trade partners. On Friday, Fadeaway World’s Fran Leiva explained why Chicago should send its star shooting guard to Lakerland, and why LA would benefit from the deal.
“The Bulls … are in a weird spot …. they’re clearly not contenders, but they’re not fully committed to a rebuild either,” Leiva said.
“With DeMar DeRozan and Alex Caruso gone, and Nikola Vucevic still in town, it feels like the Bulls are just delaying the inevitable teardown. Trading (Zach) LaVine could be the first domino to fall.”
“For the Lakers, LaVine would bring elite scoring and shooting, something they desperately need to complement LeBron and AD.”
“His ability to create his own shot and knock down threes would open up the floor for the Lakers’ stars, giving them a much-needed offensive boost.”
“On the Bulls’ side, this deal would help them move toward a rebuild. Russell, Hachimura, and Vincent could serve as short-term contributors or future trade assets, while the 2029 first-round pick gives them another piece to plan for the future. With the team already struggling, pulling the trigger on a LaVine trade might be the clean slate they need to start over.”
LaVine is in the third year of a five-year, $215.2 million max contract.
