The Pistons may be last place in the East this season, but their ties to disgruntled Bulls guard Zach LaVine are impossible to deny. Speaking on Sirius XM radio this week, former league executive Bobby Marks identified Detroit as a potential landing spot for the 2x All-Star. At the very least, they are expected to explore the possibility of trading for him before February’s deadline.
“I wouldn’t be surprised if they dip their toe in the Zach LaVine market and see if we can get a guy who is a former All-Star, who they couldn’t get in free agency,” said Marks. “Maybe if it just costs a bunch of expiring contracts and one of the younger kids they go out and do something like that. That’s a team I would keep an eye on for LaVine…”
Multiple reports suggest the Chicago Bulls continue to look for a trade for Zach LaVine.@BobbyMarks42 tells @BGeltzNBA and @SamMitchellNBA the Pistons could be his landing spot. pic.twitter.com/X5SN1511mf
— SiriusXM NBA Radio (@SiriusXMNBA) December 2, 2023
LaVine is on a short rope with the Bulls and his days there are numbered as both sides work toward a trade. Unfortunately for LaVine, despite his skills as a scorer, the market is virtually non-existent, and forcing his way to a new home will be much easier said than done. As losers of 16 straight games, the Pistons are one of the few teams desperate enough to seriously consider trading for Zach, and it does make some sense for them given how short on talent they are across the board.
Pistons Have Nothing To Lose
Besides Ausar Thompson and Cade Cunningham, everyone on the Pistons roster is expendable and the front office will be looking for any ways to improve the team. While Cade has shown flashes of greatness, being the only offensive threat on the floor is stifling his game and it’s limiting his development as a player. No matter how you feel about Zach, his offensive skills would, at the very least, ease the pressure from Cunningham and might allow him to start living up to his true potential.
As one of the worst shooting teams in the league, Zach’s perimeter game would instantly elevate the offense and open up the interior for prospects like Jalen Duran and Jaden Ivey to shine. How much the Pistons would be willing to give up for LaVine, who is set to make over $40 million next season, is still a mystery but it’s something they have to consider if they want to stop the bleeding.
No Turning Back For Zach
After seven seasons with the Bulls, it became evident that LaVine was never going to win a title with the franchise. Tensions began to boil over this past summer when LaVine was involved in endless trade rumors, but things eventually turned ugly when the Bulls convened for a players-only meeting in the first week of the season. Since that point, LaVine has looked checked out on the court and is counting down the days until his trade out of town.
At 28 years old, there is still time for Zach to change the narrative about his career but unless he wins a championship, there will always be doubts about his value as a player. Wherever he goes next will be a chance for him to start fresh and remind the world why he was once considered one of the league’s top young stars. This season, through 18 games so far, LaVine is averaging 21 points, 4.9 rebounds, and 3.4 assists per game on 44.3% shooting for the Bulls.
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