Former UCLA Star Could Head to Lakers in Blockbuster Trade

Could the Chicago Bulls trade former UCLA Bruins star Zach LaVine to the Los Angeles Lakers?

Nov 26, 2024; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; Chicago Bulls guard Zach LaVine (8) drives to the basket as Washington Wizards guard Bilal Coulibaly (0) and Wizards guard Malcolm Brogdon (15) defend in the third quarter at Capital One Arena. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-Imagn Images / Geoff Burke-Imagn Images

It's looking more and more like the Chicago Bulls will trade Zach LaVine at the NBA trade deadline.

The question is, where will LaVine land?

Last year, there was plenty of speculation that the Bulls could trade the former UCLA Bruins star, but nothing came to fruition.

Why? Because LaVine went down very early last season due to a foot injury that required surgery, which obviously destroyed any chance of LaVine being dealt last February and also resulted in an icy trade market over the summer.

However, now, trade interest in LaVine is growing thanks to some strong play by the two-time All-Star this season. The Denver Nuggets have already been named as a potential destination, but will there be any other possible landing spots?

Well, how about the Los Angeles Lakers?

The Lakers were rumored to be interested in LaVine during the 2023-24 campaign (and vice versa), but again, that fizzled as a result of LaVine's injury.

Now, Los Angeles may be getting desperate.

LeBron James is now 40 years old and may be in his final NBA season. Or, at the very least, his time on the hardwood is obviously running out.

The Lakers have struggled throughout the year, so it would make sense for Los Angeles to make a push for LaVine before the deadline.

LaVine is averaging 22.3 points per game on 50.5/43.5/80.9 shooting splits this season, and any contending team would love to have that type of production.

As currently constituted, the Lakers are not serious title contenders, and while adding LaVine probably still would not vault them into that category, it would certainly help.

The drawbacks with LaVine are his contract and his injury history. He is making a tick under $50 million this year and also has a player option just shy of $50 million in 2025-26.

He has played in 70 games just once since the 2016-17 campaign, and last year, he appeared in just 25 contests.

Matching salaries will be difficult, and clubs are understandably wary about LaVine's ability to actually remain on the floor.

But if anyone is going to take a risk on LaVine, it could be Los Angeles.

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