With the Chicago Bulls teetering on a rebuild, it seems like only a matter of time before disgruntled young star Zach LaVine finds a new basketball home. Unfortunately for LaVine, who is in the first year of a $176 million contract, the trade market for his services is virtually nonexistent.
“There is not a market for Zach LaVine right now in the NBA and that’s not because Chicago hasn’t tried to find it,” reported ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski on Friday.
"There is not a market for Zach LaVine right now."@wojespn with the latest on LaVine and the Bulls 👀 pic.twitter.com/r4stqcKkor
— NBA on ESPN (@ESPNNBA) December 1, 2023
As Woj went on to explain, there are two main issues with a Zach LaVine trade. First is the size of his contract, which is set to pay him roughly $40 million per year through 2027. Of course, LaVine’s performance on the court is another thing that holds him back from finding a new team. The fact of the matter is that Zach has not lived up to his contract in Chicago and his value will not change unless he becomes more reliable and consistent for the Bulls on both ends of the floor.
Zach LaVine Is A Major Wildcard
LaVine, a 2x All-Star, was projected to be a potential franchise player in the NBA but that hasn’t yet panned out after nine seasons in the league. While Zach has always been an elite scorer and top-tier bucket-getter (averaging 21 points per game for the Bulls this season), his efficiency has always been a question and his defense has always been an area of concern. Even at 28 years old, LaVine has never expanded his game and embodies the very definition of a one-dimensional player.
Pair his flaws on that end with an extensive injury history, and it makes sense why teams would be hesitant to give up assets for LaVine, especially since he’s one of the highest earners in the entire NBA. This season, both Zach and the Bulls are determined to find a trade that works for everybody but the sad truth is that there may be no offers on the table by February’s annual trade deadline.
What’s Next For The Bulls?
At 6-14 on the season, this season may already be a lost cause for the Bulls. At this point, with nothing left to play for, the best course of action may be to wipe the slate clean and move on. Even if they’re stuck with LaVine, the Bulls can still get solid returns for veterans such as Nikola Vucevic, Alex Caruso, and DeMar DeRozan. Next year, when Zach has a chance to improve his trade value, the Bulls can finally let him go and officially begin their rebuild.
No doubt, it’s been a tough time for the Bulls since Jordan’s retirement in 2003. Besides the Derrick Rose era (which was short-lived), the franchise has been in perpetual darkness as they attempt to find their next franchise star. The only thing we know for certain is that until they move on from Zach, nothing will change for the better. The ball is in his court now to not just prove the doubters wrong, but prove to everyone that he’s still the kind of player who teams should be pursuing when they have the chance.
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