Lost in Transition
The two-time All-Star might be leaving Chicago sooner rather than later.
A former one-and-done UCLA Bruins shooting guard and member of the Pac-12 All-Freshman Team, has only reached the playoffs once in his ten-year professional career and could soon be departing from the Bulls, according to a recent report.
Joe Cowley from The Chicago Sun-Times indicates that the Bulls’ president is actively seeking a trade partner to move LaVine and fellow former All-Star Nikola Vucevic.
LaVine also appears to be open to a trade, as Chicago hopes to prevent a potential holdout by encouraging him to demonstrate his health and sharpshooting skills on the court, which could make him a more appealing trade candidate in the eyes of the Bulls’ management.
However, a major obstacle in any potential deal is the challenge of persuading other teams to take on LaVine’s hefty contract, which totals $138 million through the 2026-27 season, despite the fact that the $49 million he would earn in the final year is a player option.
“He’s never won, he’s always done things his own way without success,” a Bulls source shared with Jamal Collier of ESPN. “If he truly wants to win, he’ll follow the team’s direction. But if he’s eager to leave, complying and playing as he always has is one way to go about it.”
Chicago’s general manager, Marc Eversley, noted that even if LaVine and Vucevic remain with the team, their focus will be on developing younger players, which could impact the duo’s playing time.
“The key difference now is that we’re a much younger team,” Eversley explained. “This isn’t just about Zach or Vucevic anymore; we’re giving the young players a chance to grow.”
Last season, Vucevic was limited to just 25 games (23 starts) before being sidelined for good in January. The 6-foot-5 forward averaged a solid 19.5 points on a .452/.349/.854 shooting line, along with 5.2 rebounds, 3.9 assists, and 0.8 steals per game for the 39-43 Bulls, who ended up as the No. 9 seed in the Eastern Conference and missed the playoffs for the second consecutive year.
The Bulls have already parted ways with their two top players, All-Defensive Team guard Alex Caruso and All-Star forward DeMar DeRozan, receiving Josh Giddey, Chris Duarte, and two second-round draft picks in return. Given that trade, it’s concerning to speculate on what kind of return they might get for LaVine and/or Vucevic.
“We’re not fixated on securing a top-six seed or being in the play-in tournament,” Eversley stated. “Our priority is to develop this group every day and track their improvement over the next year.”
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