Bulls' Zach LaVine Has Eyes On a Key 76ers Rival

Zach LaVine has a few preferred landing spots, and a 76ers rival is one of them.

The Chicago Bulls seem close to taking the first step toward a rebuild. The first domino, Zach LaVine, could be traded any day now.

While the LaVine sweepstakes seem to be moving as slowly as the Damian Lillard/James Harden discussions, they have gained quite a lot of steam as of late.

As one would expect, the Philadelphia 76ers have been linked to the star shooter. However, the Sixers’ interest in LaVine seems lukewarm at best.

Some reports suggested the Sixers are expected to have a level of interest in potentially making a move for LaVine. Most have echoed the same sentiment — LaVine is not some dream target of Daryl Morey’s at this moment, and the Sixers are content with the current roster.

It’s hard to look at a 9-2 record and think otherwise. Joel Embiid, for the fourth-straight season, is in line for MVP contention. Tyrese Maxey shifted to Harden’s vacant point guard position and looks like a first-time All-Star in the making. Meanwhile, Tobias Harris moved up the offensive pecking order once again and looks sharp as ever on the offensive end while continuing to improve his defensive value.

For what it’s worth, LaVine is rumored to have the Sixers on a shortlist of dream landing spots, according to Yahoo Sports’ Jake Fischer. At this time, the Sixers are likely more focused on the fact that he has a direct rival of theirs on that list as well.

If LaVine lands with the Los Angeles Lakers, then it won’t affect the Sixers much. The Miami Heat, on the other hand, could be a cause for concern. 

LaVine’s Eyes on Miami?

“If there’s a deal to be had with Miami, the Bulls were said to hold interest in Heat sharpshooter Tyler Herro back when the Portland Trail Blazers were signaling a preference to find Herro a third team in any potential deal to send Damian Lillard to South Florida. Miami is in the midst of a seven-game winning streak to rise back up the Eastern Conference.”

The Heat remain the biggest wildcard in the Eastern Conference. Just when you think they are simmering down, Miami revs up the engine and puts the Eastern Conference on notice.

Through the first five games of the season, the Heat went 1-4. Since November 1, they haven’t lost a game. Miami has proven that they don’t need a surefire All-Star to make a run, as they just made it to the NBA Finals as an eight-seed with a similar roster a season ago.

But the Heat tend to always have eyes on a notable star — and the Damian Lillard sweepstakes proved that much. The Heat’s interest in LaVine is currently unclear, but it’s something the Sixers will have to monitor as the Heat have proven to be one the East’s biggest threats.