Zach LaVine has been the talk of many NBA trade circles for several weeks. With Chicago finding more success without him on the floor and his growing desire to part ways with head coach Billy Donovan, it's becoming inevitable that he'll wear new threads before the season ends. The only problem is, as the Chicago Tribune's Joe Cowley reported last week, his value is depleting by the day. Other teams are shy about trading for the two-time All-Star due to his injury history, lucrative and long-term contract, non-existent playoff resume, and one-dimensional archetype of being a pure scoring guard. Who has LaVine's camp said he'd be willing to be traded to now, and what pairing is he possibly excited to join?
LaVine and Fox Backcourt
Per The Athletic, the Kings might be in play for Zach LaVine. Like many other teams, their offer would not be as hefty as it may have been in previous years for the 28-year-old guard, but at the current value, they'd be interested in adding his offensive prowess.
"Conversely, the choice to go for a player like LaVine, the two-time All-Star who has a combined $178 million left on his deal (including his player option worth $48.9 million in 2026-27), would come with a decreased willingness to put an exorbitant amount on the table because, well, his contract is quite hefty. Still, it’s worth highlighting that the Kings’ current roster focus appears to be on the value of (additional) shooting — and offense — above all else."
Sam Amick via The Athletic
Nearly a 40% career three-point shooter with almost six attempts per game across his 10-year NBA tenure, LaVine would be an upgraded version of Kevin Huerter. He's averaged north of 24 points per game in his last four seasons and has two All-Star nods in that span. This year has only hurt his stock, starting the year shooting an abysmal 33% from three-point territory and only 44% from the field. His contract looks like one of the biggest mistakes in recent memory for the Bulls, who can only hope he returns from injury to his standard stat line.
Expected Return For LaVine
The biggest issue for the Kings in trading for LaVine would be the salary matching. LaVine is set to make $37 million this season and can only be matched by Sacramento's adding Harrison Barnes and Kevin Huerter to the trade. On Chicago's end, there's little to no value in these two players as Huerter is purely a three-point threat, and Barnes is an aging role player at this stage in his career. Barring the addition of draft capital or prospects, the Bulls would be wise to look for value elsewhere in the LaVine sweepstakes.
Chicago has reached a point where any value is good for LaVine, but finding the most assets to build for the future would be ideal. Huerter is only 25 years old and, as a sharpshooter, could add to the Bulls' weak three-point shooting roster. With a low ceiling and limited skillset, there are bound to be better flyers across the NBA worth checking in on before executing this deal.
How soon is LaVine shipped, and could Chicago's roster see a boost in production with Huerter's flame-throwing abilities?
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