The Chicago Bulls are expected to consider trading Zach LaVine this summer, but the team should be careful to avoid trades that don't move the needle.
The Chicago Bulls were famously two minutes away from beating the Miami Heat in the play-in tournament last season, but one last-second choke job later, here we are. The Heat were in the Finals and might trade for Damian Lillard. The Bulls, meanwhile, re-signed Nikola Vucevic and are firmly entrenched in NBA no-man's land.
Is there a more depressing team in the NBA right now? With the Wizards finally blowing it up, I'm not sure there is. The Bulls continue to double and triple down on a roster that simply has no chance of contending.
The Bulls either need a reset or a miracle to launch them into contention. One potential avenue, either way, is a Zach LaVine trade. He's their best player and the expectation is that Chicago will at least test the market.
That said, the Bulls can't just trade LaVine. He's a great player on a questionable contract. If the Bulls can't use LaVine to kickstart their rebuild or, conversely, to acquire a significantly better player, there's no point in dealing him. It sounds straightforward, but the Bulls either have to get way better or way worse. A slight upgrade or a lateral move accomplishes zilch.
These are the trades Chicago should avoid.
No. 3 Zach LaVine trade Bulls should avoid: 76ers for Tobias Harris
The Sixers could be desperate to find Joel Embiid's next high-profile teammate once the James Harden trade goes down. LaVine is an obvious name to watch since he's probably more affordable than, for example, Damian Lillard.
LaVine would absolutely help the Sixers with his three-point shooting, rim pressure, and pick-and-roll playmaking. He's a dynamic scorer who won't flatline in big games like Harden and he's only 28 years old, so the timeline aligns with Embiid.
For Chicago, however, can the Sixers really offer anything of worth? Assuming Tyrese Maxey is off the board for LaVine-tier stars, it's basically going to be Tobias Harris and maybe a draft pick. A deep future pick could yield value, but Harris' $39.3 million contract shouldn't really intrigue the Bulls.
If the Bulls were to angle for a proper rebuild, maybe there's value in Harris as expiring money and a potential trade chip. But, with Vooch recently re-signed and DeMar DeRozan still on the roster, that doesn't feel like Chicago's M.O. This is the kind of lateral move that doesn't really help the Bulls bottom out, nor does it improve their chances of winning.
In this case, it's best to just hang tight until LaVine's market opens up more. He's under contract through 2027, so Chicago can afford to wait until LaVine yields more than a salary dump and a single pick.
No. 2 Zach LaVine trade Bulls should avoid: Suns for Deandre Ayton
The Suns are expected to keep Deandre Ayton for now, but that will likely change if a substantial return becomes available. LaVine certainly qualifies as substantial. The Suns don't need another star guard, but with the incessant rumblings about Kyrie Irving and James Harden, it's unwise to write off the possibility of Phoenix (under ambitious new ownership) making an unconventional play for star-power.
For Chicago, this general framework is exactly what the front office should avoid. Ayton is young and innately gifted, but he doesn't always play hard and he doesn't move the needle much in either direction. The Bulls certainly don't get better, but they also don't get any future picks and Ayton is good enough to keep them out of the NBA basement.
The Vucevic extension further complicates this particular trade. Can the Bulls get off of Vucevic's three-year, $60 million deal? If not, does paying him $60 million to back up Ayton really make financial sense? No. No, it doesn't.
This is how the Bulls front office has needlessly made its own job harder. There were zero reported suitors for Vucevic. No cap space team would have gone anywhere near him at the Bulls' price point. And yet, he's on the books for three years now — fully guaranteed. Even if the Bulls can offload LaVine for slightly more favorable contracts, there's the added layer of Vooch, DeRozan, and several other vets to get through before the team is properly rebuilding with a favorable financial profile.
No. 1 Zach LaVine trade Bulls should avoid: Hawks for Dejounte Murray
Of the proposed trades, this is probably the best value for Chicago. A recent All-Star, a legitimate rotation wing, and a top-15 pick. The Hawks, meanwhile, form the most potent offensive backcourt in the East and vow to figure out the defensive end at a later date. Respectable, given where the team was last season.
Dig a little deeper, however, and there's still very little making this worth Chicago's while. Dejounte Murray is an expiring contract and he definitely won't re-sign with the Bulls. Unless he does, locking them into another few years of mediocrity with a playmaking guard who has never actually played competitive basketball.
Bogey is good, but he's under contract for at least three more years with an annual average of $17 million. It will only get more difficult to trade role players with that contract value as the new CBA kicks into effect. The Bulls don't need solid, slightly overpaid rotational wings if the goal is to rebuild. If the goal is to compete for the No. 8 seed, then why trade LaVine?
The Bulls should be looking to get multiple young players and future assets for LaVine. He's still good enough to command legitimate value. Bufkin was a top-15 pick, but he's a defense-first guard who doesn't project as the kind of prospect who can spearhead a rebuild. He's better-positioned next to another elite playmaker on a team trying to win, like Atlanta.