The Chicago Bulls are surrounded by trade rumors for some of their best players, as the franchise is competitively ruining their chances at a top pick in the 2025 NBA Draft. Zach LaVine, who’s been on the market for a year now, is reportedly linked to the Denver Nuggets, as the 2023 Champions look to revitalize their starting five with a more dynamic scorer like LaVine.
A Nuggets fan joked with Nikola Vucevic on X and asked him to watch Gladiator 2 in Denver, prompting the Montenegrin center to tell the fan that he’s mistaken him for Zach LaVine.
“You’re thinking about Zach, this is not him.”
You’re thinking about Zach, this is not him.
— Nikola Vucevic (@NikolaVucevic) December 19, 2024
This is incredibly clever by Vucevic, publicly confirming that the Bulls’ locker room is aware of the Nuggets possibly acquiring LaVine. Fans would potentially welcome that trade if it helps them go lower in the standings to maximize a top pick in the 2025 NBA Draft.
The Bulls picked up their best win of the season against the reigning champions Boston Celtics, defeating them 117-108 in the TD Garden for a cracking road win. LaVine led the Bulls with an incredible performance, putting up 36 points (11-19 FG), six rebounds, and four assists. He’s averaging 22.3 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 4.2 assists on the season, playing his best basketball in a few years.
Fans are torn about the win already, as it should be a sense of pride that their team could beat the reigning champions while they’re fully healthy on their home ground, but it further separates the Bulls from the bottom pack of the East who could land a franchise-altering prospect in the loaded 2025 NBA Draft.
Vucevic himself is also in trade rumors, with teams like the Golden State Warriors or Miami Heat potentially eyeing the center, who’s averaging 20.9 points and 9.7 rebounds.
The best-case scenario would see both players head out before the deadline while the Bulls stockpile young players and future assets to put themselves in a more competitive rebuilding situation. It’ll be tough for them to out-tank teams like the Washington Wizards at this point, but they can still bring themselves within the odds of a likely top-seven pick.
They have a 13-15 record this season, occupying the No. 9 seed in the East. While they could be locks for the Play-In tournament without making changes to their roster, is the cost of the team’s future worth a third consecutive Play-In appearance which could lead to a best-case first-round Playoff exit? They’re not contenders and need to accept it as soon as possible.
LaVine can’t get to Denver without the Nuggets giving up Michael Porter Jr., who’s younger and a traditional forward. It would be a hard negotiation, especially with the Nuggets being a second-apron team.
If they can execute this deal, there’s no guarantee it will increase their ceiling, but it definitely would add more offensive dynamism on the perimeter with LaVine’s three-level scoring abilities and passing instincts.
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