Trade Proposal Sends Brandon Ingram, Andrew Wiggins To Bulls, Zach LaVine To Warriors, Nikola Vucevic To Pelicans

One NBA analyst proposed a three-team trade idea between the New Orleans Pelicans, Chicago Bulls and Golden State Warriors. 

Greg Swartz of Bleacher Report proposed the following mock trade between the Pelicans, Bulls and Warriors:

Chicago Bulls Receive: G/F Brandon Ingram, F Andrew Wiggins

Golden State Warriors Receive: G/F Zach LaVine

New Orleans Pelicans Receive: C Nikola Vučević, G Gary Payton II, C Kevon Looney, 2025 first-round pick (lottery-protected via Portland Trail Blazers), 2028 and 2029 second-round picks (via Chicago Bulls)

The Pelicans are open to trading Ingram, the Warriors want to trade Wiggins, the Bulls have been trying to trade LaVine for a year and Vucevic is now available after Chicago traded Alex Caruso to the Oklahoma City Thunder and sent DeMar DeRozan to the Sacramento Kings in a sign-and-trade deal. 

Ingram averaged 20.8 points, 5.1 rebounds, 5.7 assists, 0.8 steals and 0.6 blocks for the Pelicans in 2023-24 while shooting 49.2% from the field, 35.5% from beyond the arc and 80.1% from the free-throw line.

Ingram is in the final year of his contract. He’ll make $36 million in 2024-25.

Wiggins averaged 13.2 points, 4.5 rebounds and 1.7 assists in 2023-24 for the Warriors while shooting 45.3% from the field, 35.8% from beyond the arc and 75.1% from the free-throw line. The NBA champion will make $26.3 million next season. 

LaVine played in only 25 games in 2023-24. He underwent season-ending right foot surgery in February.

A two-time All-Star, LaVine averaged 19.5 points, 5.2 rebounds, 3.9 assists, 0.8 steals and 0.3 blocks for the Bulls in 2023-24 while shooting 45.2% from the field, 34.9% from 3 and 85.4% from the free-throw line. He’ll make $43 million next season.

Vucevic will make $20 million in 2024-25. The big man averaged 18.0 points, 10.5 rebounds, 3.3 assists, 0.7 steals and 0.8 blocks in 2023-24 for Chicago while shooting 48.4% from the field, 29.4% from beyond the arc and 82.2% from the free-throw line. He had 45 double-doubles in 76 games. 

The Bulls and Warriors missed the playoffs in 2024, while the Pelicans got swept by the Thunder in the first round.