Zach LaVine had a strange interaction with a heckler during the Chicago Bulls‘ 127-108 win over the Washington Wizards. The fan in the crowd shouted at LaVine asking him when and where he’d be traded, and whether the Lakers rumors were true. LaVine responded by telling the fan he signed with the Bulls, and that he loves the team and the city.
Heckler: “Zach, where are you getting traded? What city is it going to be to? Lakers?
LaVine: “I signed here, brother. I love Chicago.”
“I signed here, brother. I love Chicago.” Zach Lavine is a real one. pic.twitter.com/VE8jJexcwP
— Ross Pins (@chisportsross) November 27, 2024
There may have been no better way of showing his love for the Bulls and Chicago than his performance against the Wizards. LaVine went on to drop 18 points (6-14 FG), four assists, and one rebound, going 4-8 from the three-point line to help the Bulls pick up a win and extend their record to 8-11, and move into the 10th seed in the East.
LaVine has long been linked with a trade away from the Bulls, as there is speculation surrounding the franchise’s future, considering they lost DeMar DeRozan in the summer, and traded Alex Caruso to the Thunder in exchange for Josh Giddey.
Recently, it was reported that the Bulls had been shopping Zach LaVine and Nikola Vucevic to other teams for a trade. The Lakers are expected to be active in the trade market, which is why they have been linked to LaVine.
One NBA expert said recently that the Lakers could trade for LaVine without giving up any draft picks, due to his high salary. We here at Fadeaway World looked into what the Lakers’ starting lineup could look like if the Lakers pulled off a move for LaVine and Nikola Vucevic, which you can read here.
Is Zach LaVine The Right Player For The Lakers?
In the NBA, there is usually no smoke without any fire. So LaVine being linked to the Lakers is definitely not coming out of thin air. But there are some massive questions that have to be asked before any deal can even be talked about by the two franchises.
Firstly, LaVine’s salary makes any potential deal very complicated, Lavine is currently in year three of a five-year $215 million contract he signed with the Bulls. This season, he is making $43 million, with his salary next season increasing to $45.9 million, and $47.9 million the year after that.
Acquiring LaVine would give the Lakers almost no cap flexibility, as they would have three players on their roster on max contracts. LeBron James is currently making $48 million this season and will make $52 million next season if he takes his player option.
Anthony Davis earns even more, making $54 million this season and $58 million the year after that. If Davis chooses to take his player option, he would make $60 million in the 2026-27 NBA season.
Secondly, LaVine will have to learn how to play off-ball, with LeBron James, Anthony Davis, and Austin Reaves being the three main ball-handlers on the team. Having to adapt his playing style at 29 years old, when he has had years of NBA experience, will definitely be a challenge.
LaVine is still putting up strong numbers, averaging 21.6 points, 4.7 rebounds, 4.3 assists, 0.8 steals, and 0.4 blocks, while shooting 51.0% from the field, 43.4% from deep, and 81.4% from the stripe. This would be excellent production from a third option on a championship team.
Will the Lakers make a move for LaVine? It will be difficult considering the large salaries involved. But if Rob Pelinka can make some decent moves and recruit some inexpensive players, the Lakers might just pull the trigger on a championship-securing trade.
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