- The Los Angeles Lakers acquire Zach LaVine
- The Chicago Bulls land D’Angelo Russell and Austin Reaves
- The Toronto Raptors get Harrison Barnes and Rui Hachimura
- The Sacramento Kings win the Pascal Siakam sweepstakes
It took a while, but James Harden finally got traded by the Philadelphia 76ers to the Los Angeles Clippers. It was the first trade of the 2023-24 season and it was certainly a blockbuster.
There will likely be more trades this season before the trade deadline in February. Zach LaVine and the Chicago Bulls are open to parting ways, according to Shams Charania of The Athletic, and the Sacramento Kings are interested in acquiring LaVine, Pascal Siakam, or OG Anunoby, per Charania.
Since LaVine is looking to leave the Bulls and the Kings are being linked to a few stars, we have come up with a four-team blockbuster trade proposal that would certainly shake up the NBA.
Chicago Bulls Receive: D’Angelo Russell, Austin Reaves, Malik Monk
Los Angeles Lakers Receive: Zach LaVine, Davion Mitchell
Toronto Raptors Receive: Harrison Barnes, Rui Hachimura
Sacramento Kings Receive: Pascal Siakam
Not only does this four-team trade proposal work under CBA rules, but it also helps each team in different aspects, both in the short and long term.
The Chicago Bulls Acquire Three Talented Guards For Their Rebuild
The Chicago Bulls need to tear their roster down and rebuild. They are 5-14 on the season and the trio of Zach LaVine, Nikola Vucevic, and DeMar DeRozan is clearly not working.
In this trade proposal, the Bulls trade LaVine to the Los Angeles Lakers for D’Angelo Russell and Austin Reaves. They also get Malik Monk from the Sacramento Kings. That’s three talented guards the Bulls can build around in the post-LaVine era.
Chicago would likely trade DeRozan and Vucevic in separate deals after moving LaVine.
Russell is averaging 16.7 points, 3.4 rebounds and 6.2 assists this season while shooting 47.3% from the field, 39.8% from beyond the arc, and 77.1% from the free-throw line. He’s a talented passer and shooter.
Reaves is averaging 13.9 points, 4.9 rebounds, and 5.1 assists while shooting 46.0% from the field, 33.8% from beyond the arc and 84.4% from the free-throw line. He’s a rising star in the NBA with special scoring, shooting, and playmaking skills.
Finally, Monk is averaging 13.2 points, 2.8 rebounds, and 5.0 assists while shooting 39.2% from the field, 40.0% from beyond the arc, and 86.4% from the free-throw line. He’s a gifted scorer who can get buckets in a hurry off the bench.
The Los Angeles Lakers Get A Third Star
Shams Charania of The Athletic and Stadium expects the Los Angeles Lakers to pursue a Zach LaVine trade with the Chicago Bulls.
LaVine and the Bulls are open to parting ways and LaVine has the same agent (Rich Paul of Klutch Sports Group) as Lakers superstars LeBron James and Anthony Davis.
The Lakers are one of the teams LaVine would like to land with, according to Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports. However, since the two-time All-Star doesn’t have a no-trade clause in his contract, he can’t pick where he gets traded, although it helps that LaVine, LeBron and Davis have the same agent.
The Lakers need more shooters around LeBron and Davis and LaVine is a proven shooter from beyond the arc. Last season, LaVine made 204 3-pointers for the Bulls. He’s never played with a passer like LeBron and a big man like Davis who attracts double teams in the post. The open looks LaVine would get on the Lakers would be night and day compared to the shots he’s getting on the Bulls.
LaVine, who scored a career-high 51 points on October 28 against the Detroit Pistons, is averaging 21.0 points, 4.9 rebounds and 3.4 assists while shooting 44.3% from the field, 33.6% from beyond the arc and 86.6% from the free-throw line. The UCLA product signed a five-year, $215 million contract in the offseason of 2022.
Mitchell would be a solid rotation player and someone who can bring energy from the bench.
The Lakers could start Gabe Vincent, LaVine, Jarred Vanderbilt, LeBron, and Davis after acquiring LaVine from the Bulls. LaVine is the ideal scorer and shooter Los Angeles needs next to LeBron and Davis to win another title.
The Toronto Raptors Add Two Unique Forwards
In our trade proposal, the Toronto Raptors acquire Harrison Barnes from the Sacramento Kings and Rui Hachimura from the Los Angeles Lakers.
While Barnes and Hachimura do overlap with OG Anunoby and Scottie Barnes, Hachimura can come off the bench, Harrison Barnes can start at shooting guard, Anunoby can play the 3-spot and Scottie Barnes can take the 4-spot.
Harrison Barnes is averaging 12.6 points, 3.1 rebounds, and 1.5 assists while shooting 47.0% from the field, 37.7% from beyond the arc and 83.7% from the free-throw line. He’s an NBA champion who can score from the paint, mid-range, and perimeter.
Meanwhile, Hachimura is averaging 11.8 points, 3.8 rebounds, and 1.0 assists while shooting 50.5% from the field, 42.9% from beyond the arc and 78.6% from the free-throw line. Like Harrison Barnes, he’s a three-level scorer, but Hachimura is also a player who likes to drive to the basket and finish in heavy traffic.
The Raptors can start Dennis Schroder, Harrison Barnes, Anunoby, Scottie Barnes, and Jakob Poeltl after acquiring Harrison Barnes and Hachimura. Schroder and Hachimura were teammates on the Lakers last season, so they already know how to play with each other.
The Sacramento Kings Make A Splash Acquisition
Pascal Siakam has one year left on his contract. Many people around the NBA believe the All-Star will get traded before the trade deadline since the Toronto Raptors haven’t offered him an extension yet.
The Sacramento Kings already have two great stars in De’Aaron Fox and Domantas Sabonis. If they add Siakam, they would have a deadly “Big 3” capable of competing for a championship.
The Kings could start Fox, Chris Duarte, Kevin Huerter, Siakam, and Sabonis after acquiring Siakam from the Raptors. That starting five has scoring, shooting, defense, size, and rebounding.
Siakam is averaging 20.0 points, 6.8 rebounds and 5.4 assists this season while shooting 49.3% from the field, 22.1% from beyond the arc, and 72.6% from the free-throw line. He can teach Fox and Sabonis and mentor them on what it takes to win a title since he won a ring in 2019 with the Raptors.
Fox and Sabonis are both in their primes. The time is now for the Kings’ front office to make a massive trade for a third star. Luckily for Sacramento, Siakam is available on the trade market for the right price.
This Four-Team Trade Proposal Would Cause Significant NBA Shockwaves
This four-team trade proposal would cause significant shockwaves in the NBA. Zach LaVine going to the Los Angeles Lakers and Pascal Siakam landing with the Sacramento Kings would create two new contenders in the Western Conference.
The Lakers would have a “Big 3” of LaVine, LeBron James, and Anthony Davis, while the Kings would have a “Big 3” of Siakam, De’Aaron Fox, and Domantas Sabonis.
As for the Chicago Bulls and Toronto Raptors, both teams would acquire skillful players.
The Bulls would get a point guard who can run the offense and score in D’Angelo Russell, a rising guard in Austin Reaves who can score and pass, and a microwave scorer off the bench in Malik Monk.
Meanwhile, the Raptors would acquire a professional veteran in Harrison Barnes, who can still play at a high level, and a Sixth Man of the Year candidate in Rui Hachimura.
