Lakers Should Make Move For Bulls’ Zach LaVine, Rival Exec Says

September 5, 2024

The Los Angeles Lakers are one of just three teams that have yet to sign an outside free agent to a standard contract, and LA hasn’t made much of any kind of move at all.

But there is still time, and Chicago Bulls guard Zach LaVine is still believed to be available. So the Lakers should make a move for LaVine, a Western Conference executive told Dan Woike of the LA Times.

“I’d call Chicago and make a move for Zach LaVine,” the executive told Woike.

That may not be a horrible idea. LaVine very clearly doesn’t want to stay with Chicago and Chicago very clearly wants to move on. The sides seemed ready to part ways nearly a year ago.

But LaVine missing much of the season with a foot injury, as well as his large contract, has made a deal near-impossible.

As for the Lakers, there’s little reason to believe that they will be much better than last season, when they snuck into the playoffs via the play-in tournament and then were bounced by the Denver Nuggets in the first round.

For the record, LaVine is represented by Rich Paul, the Klutch Sports agent whose client list also includes LeBron James and Anthony Davis.

Question is, could the Lakers actually pull off such a trade?

“Here was the gist of the pitch: LaVine could be gotten by simply matching the money he’s owed, getting the Bulls out from underneath a contract that’s likely going to last until 2027 and cost the team $138 million,” Woike wrote. “That would allow the Lakers to keep their draft assets for a future deal or the inevitable rebuild.

“A trade would cost the Lakers D’Angelo Russell, Rui Hachimura and either Jarred Vanderbilt or Gabe Vincent — a big cost in talent because the team cannot take back more salary in a trade than it sends out.”

The Lakers need an upgrade. LaVine wants out. Maybe the opposing exec is right. Maybe it could be a marriage made in hoops heaven. Frankly, for all involved, it might be worth a shot.