The Memphis Grizzlies have started the 2023-24 season 0-5 without superstar point guard Ja Morant, who will miss the first 25 games of the season due to a suspension. The Grizzlies have lost to the New Orleans Pelicans, Denver Nuggets, Washington Wizards, Dallas Mavericks, and Utah Jazz.
Marcus Smart, Desmond Bane, Ziaire Williams, Xavier Tillman, and Jaren Jackson Jr. have started the first five games. While that’s not a bad starting five, Memphis needs another dynamic scorer next to Bane while Morant is out to compete in the rugged Western Conference, which is why we have proposed that the Grizzlies trade for Chicago Bulls All-Star Zach LaVine:
Trade Details
Memphis Grizzlies Receive: Zach LaVine
Chicago Bulls Receive: Luke Kennard, Brandon Clarke, Ziaire Williams, David Roddy, John Konchar
Not only does this trade proposal work under CBA rules, but it also helps each team in different factors, both in the short and long term.
The Memphis Grizzlies Go All-In For A Championship
Zach LaVine has established himself as one of the best scorers in the NBA since getting traded by the Minnesota Timberwolves to the Chicago Bulls on draft night in 2017. The UCLA product is averaging 24.5 points with the Bulls.
Rival teams have checked in with the Bulls about LaVine‘s availability, according to Jamal Collier of ESPN. However, no team has been willing to meet Chicago’s asking price for LaVine, who signed a five-year, $215.2 million contract in July 2022.
The Bulls got blown out by the Oklahoma City Thunder in their season opener and had a player-only meeting after the game. LaVine could be traded by Chicago if the team gets off to a slow start this season, according to Sam Amico. The Bulls are 2-3 through five games.
The Grizzlies would be title contenders if they traded for LaVine. Once Ja Morant returns from his suspension, Memphis could start Morant, LaVine, Desmond Bane, Xavier Tillman, and Jaren Jackson Jr. That’s three players (LaVine, Morant, Bane) who can score 25 points on any given night and two strong rebounders and defenders in Jackson Jr. and Tillman.
LaVine made 204 3-pointers last season while shooting 37.5% from beyond the arc. Morant is one of the best drivers in the NBA. When he goes to the rim, he draws multiple defenders, freeing up shooters on the perimeter. If the Grizzlies acquire LaVine, Morant would have two sharpshooters to kick it out to in LaVine and Bane.
Along with being a gifted shooter, LaVine is also a terrific mid-range shooter, driver, and dunker. The Washington native is a two-time Slam Dunk Contest champion. He’s able to get to the rim at will and finish in heavy traffic like Morant since his athleticism is off the charts.
LaVine has career averages of 20.5 points while shooting 46.4% from the field, 38.3% from 3-point land, and 83.3% from the free-throw line. He’s the ideal three-level scorer the Grizzlies need next to Morant and Bane, who can help the team reach the promised land.
The Chicago Bulls Begin Their Rebuild
As talented as Zach LaVine, DeMar DeRozan and Nikola Vucevic are, the Chicago Bulls are stuck in the worst place in sports: the middle. They aren’t close to competing for a title, but they also aren’t one of the worst teams in the NBA, which means they won’t get a high draft pick.
The Bulls need to rebuild and start over. Trading LaVine would start that process, as once LaVine is traded, DeRozan and Vucevic would certainly be moved next since it wouldn’t make sense for the two veterans to stick around in Chicago with LaVine gone.
Once LaVine is traded, the Bulls would start to lose more games and their lottery odds would improve. Plus, the package we proposed from the Memphis Grizzlies features one of the top shooters in the NBA in Luke Kennard, a young swingman in Ziaire Williams, and three big men in Brandon Clarke, David Roddy, and John Konchar.
The Bulls would be wise to keep Kennard since he’s an elite 3-point shooter and Williams and Roddy since they are young prospects. However, Chicago could part ways with Clarke and Konchar if the front office wanted to so that the team’s future cap space would increase.
The Bulls have won only one postseason game since acquiring LaVine. It’s time for Chicago to pull the plug on the LaVine era and trade the guard to a contender so that he can compete for a ring and the Bulls can rebuild.
Zach LaVine Helps The Memphis Grizzlies Compete For A Title; The Chicago Bulls Give Up On Their Big 3
This trade proposal would help the Memphis Grizzlies become a juggernaut on offense, as Ja Morant, Zach LaVine, and Desmond Bane are three of the best scorers in the NBA. Morant averaged 26.2 points last season, LaVine averaged 24.8 points and Bane averaged 21.5 points.
We can’t forget about Jaren Jackson Jr. either, as he averaged 18.6 points last season. A “Big 4” of Morant, LaVine, Bane, and Jackson Jr. could do major damage together.
As for the Chicago Bulls, the LaVine-DeMar DeRozan-Nikola Vucevic era needs to end. This trio peaked in 2021-22 when the Bulls won 46 games in the regular season and lost to the Milwaukee Bucks in the first round of the 2022 playoffs in five games. Being stuck in mediocrity is never ideal. That’s where Chicago is right now.
Tearing the roster down by trading LaVine first — that move would cause a DeRozan and Vucevic trade — is the smartest thing the Bulls’ front office can do.
LaVine has been in many trade rumors since last season ended. He talked about those rumors with ESPN.
“My camp isn’t putting them out,” LaVine said. “I committed to the Bulls when I signed my five-year deal. So until I’m not, I’m committed to the Bulls. I’ve always brought professionalism and consistent play, and that’s what I’ll continue to do.”
LaVine knows the Bulls have shopped him. Chicago may as well pull the trigger on a deal with Memphis and help LaVine compete for a championship for the first time in the NBA.
