Chicago's Intentions With Zach LaVine Were Just Made Clear

A week after two-time All-Star guard Zach LaVine posted a progress update on his foot surgery recovery on Instagram, a new report has answered many questions about his future. Rumors regarding the Bulls' plans for LaVine started two trade deadlines ago and have remained constant to the present day. NBC Chicago's K.C. Johnson write-up this morning detailed that Arturas Karnisovas and company have floated 15 trade proposals involving their 29-year-old guard in that span. Can Chicago finally move on from their overpaid star, and what kind of return does he yield on the trade block?

Offered Trades To Over Half Of The League

According to Johnson, Chicago's 15 trade offers represent over half of the potential suitors leaguewide for LaVine. Of course, multiple offers have likely been made to repeat offenders over that span. Still, regardless, with only 29 destinations he could land, that many offers mean Chicago has wanted him gone for a reasonable amount of time. Possibly the closest they came to dealing him was days before his right foot surgery, just before this season's trade deadline, when a transaction to the Detroit Pistons was nearly complete before LaVine decided to opt for season-ending surgery, putting an axe to trade talks.

Losing LaVine wouldn't hinder Chicago's roster too much but would instead clear the way for last year's version of Coby White to become a full-time threat. The Bulls struggled with their former UCLA Bruin on the floor during the 2023-24 campaign, holding a 10-15 record in his 25 appearances. Without him, Chicago was 29-28 and saw the blossoming of White and Ayo Dosunmu. Some would argue the Bulls have been a more cohesive unit without their top-paid player on the floor over the past several seasons.

Trading Into The Top Ten

With a LaVine trade nearly guaranteed to take place this summer, what sort of return can the Bulls expect? His value is truly in the eye of the beholder, as just a few seasons ago, he was a back-to-back All-Star, averaging a near 25-5-5 split over three seasons. Since becoming a top-15 paid player in the summer of 2022 and being put under a microscope of speculation, many questions have arisen regarding his versatility and overall abilities outside his elite scoring prowess. He's traditionally struggled in crunch time, he's infamously one of the worst defenders throughout a season, and his playmaking and effort levels have both been rightfully scrutinized. Are there any suitors who can return LaVine to his pre-contract extension form, and what are they willing to pay for that player?

If the Bulls are willing to absorb some of his regrettable contract, their suitor pool may expand. As the only player amongst the top-15 paid group without an All-NBA nod or more than one playoff victory, the criticism deserves to be directed to Karnisovas's front office group, who decided to dole out this level of contract to an unproven player.

Houston, Detroit, and San Antonio each have top-ten selections in the upcoming draft, and with reports already surfacing that Chicago is eyeing a move up the boards, could one of these teams be seeking a veteran wing to pair with their young core? Detroit was the leading candidate to land LaVine just months ago, and the Spurs have already vocalized wanting to bring in an aged perimeter player. Can Karnisovas make amends with the fanbase by landing a top-five selection and dumping their worst contract in recent memory?