As the first trade deadline approaches, the Chicago Bulls are still unable to find a market for Zach LaVine

The market for wingman Zach LaVine remains elusive.

The Chicago Bulls intend to move All-Star guard Zach LaVine and give the franchise a much-needed breath of fresh air. However, according to the Chicago Sun-Times’ Bulls insider Joe Cowley, executive vice president of basketball operations Arturas Karnisovas is having difficulty finding a suitable trade partner.

Trade season opening

NBA teams will get the chance to make trades happen on Friday, as some players who signed deals over the summer are now eligible to be moved. Cowley wrote that the front office’s plan is to trade the former slam dunk champion by or just after January 15, which is the time when the rest of the players who signed deals in the offseason can be moved.

“Karnisovas would like to have moved LaVine by or just after that date, giving him at least 10-15 games to see what the new-look Bulls would look like, and allowing him to then make a decision on the likes of DeMar DeRozan and Alex Caruso,” Cowley explained.

Wait and see mode

Cowley reports that at the moment, the Bulls’ chief basketball executive has no plans to trade Caruso, who is having the best year of his career so far. Karnisovas is also said to be open to giving DeRozan a new deal. 

He is said to be keen on watching how the core of DeRozan and Caruso work with the assets that LaVine would fetch. At this point, only time will tell us what Karnisovas’ strategy is for Zach and the rest of the Bulls' assets.

“As of now, Karnisovas has no interest in trading Caruso, is still keeping the possibility of reopening contract extension talks with DeRozan and his camp on the table, and then watching how the assets he gets back for LaVine works with that group,” Cowley added.