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$215M NBA All-Star Floated as Potential Los Angeles Lakers Trade Target

The Los Angeles Lakers could use a scorer like Chicago Bulls star Zach LaVine.

Joey Linn

Chicago Bulls guard Zach LaVine (8), forward DeMar DeRozan (11) and center Nikola Vucevic (9).
Chicago Bulls guard Zach LaVine (8), forward DeMar DeRozan (11) and center Nikola Vucevic (9). / David Banks-Imagn Images
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Chicago Bulls star Zach LaVine is not expected to be traded before next season begins. With numerous reports suggesting Chicago has no suitors for LaVine, it seems the two-time NBA All-Star will need to perform well next season if he wants to land elsewhere before the trade deadline.

Entering the third year of his five-year, $215M deal, LaVine is a major investment for any team dealing for him. That said, the Bulls star is still a very high-level player when healthy and is a theoretically great fit on several teams.

In a new article, Bleacher Report’s Eric Pincus floated LaVine as a potential trade target for the Los Angeles Lakers.

Zach LaVine and LeBron James
Chicago Bulls guard Zach LaVine (8) shoots against Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (6) during the second half at Crypto.com Arena. / Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

Pincus shared his opinion on the pros and cons of a LaVine deal for Los Angeles:

“Pros: The Lakers shouldn't need to send draft compensation to Chicago for LaVine. If healthy, LaVine is exceptionally talented.

Cons: Many around the league question if LaVine will fully regain his form. Financial constraints this season and next make fleshing out the rest of the roster difficult.”

The Lakers are in need of some additional firepower next to LeBron James and Anthony Davis, and LaVine is the type of player who could provide that. Averaging 24.8 points in 77 games during the 2022-23 season, LaVine showed what he is capable of when healthy.

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Joey Linn

JOEY LINN

Joey Linn is a credentialed writer covering the NBA for Sports Illustrated's FanNation. Covering the LA Clippers independently in 2018, then for Fansided and 213Hoops from 2019-2021, Joey joined Sports Illustrated's FanNation to cover the Clippers after the 2020-21 season. Graduating from Biola University in 2022 with a Communication Studies degree, Joey served as Biola's play-by-play announcer for their basketball, baseball, softball, and soccer teams during his time in school. Joey's work on Biola's broadcasts, combined with his excellence in the classroom, earned him the Outstanding Communication Studies Student of the year award in 2022. Joey covers the NBA full-time across multiple platforms, primarily serving as a credentialed Clippers beat writer.

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