New Blockbuster Three Team Trade Proposal Sends Zach LaVine To the Lakers, Atlanta Builds Depth With New Pieces

Will the Bulls be able to trade Zach LaVine this offseason?

Mar 26, 2023; Los Angeles, California, USA; Chicago Bulls guard Zach LaVine (8) moves the ball up court against Los Angeles Lakers guard Dennis Schroder (17) during the second half at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports / Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports

Things have slowed down around the NBA, but there are still some big moves that could be out there.

The two big names circulating in trade rumors right now are Utah Jazz forward Lauri Markkanen and Chicago Bulls guard Zach LaVine. The difference between the two though is that Markkanen is highly sought after around the league while the Bulls have been unable to find a trade partner for LaVine due to his massive contract and inability to stay healthy. With the Bulls losing Alex Caruso and DeMar DeRozan, Chicago is clearly getting worse and would love to get LaVine off their books so they can put themselves in position to get the NBA's next generational prospect, Duke forward Cooper Flagg.

The Lakers on the other hand have missed out on every big name in the trade market. They did not make a move for Hawks guard Dejounte Murray and Atlanta does not appear to be trading Trae Young. They don't have the assets to land Markkanen and did not seem to make a serious move for DeRozan. Most teams in the Western Conference can say they have gotten better this season, but it is hard to make that argument for the Lakers. Could they try and buy low on LaVine to get a high-level scoring guard around LeBron James and Anthony Davis?

Atlanta made one huge move to start their offseason, but have since been quiet. The Hawks traded Murray to New Orleans for Dyson Daniels, Larry Nance, EJ Liddell, Cody Zeller, and two first round picks, one of those picks being the Lakers unprotected 2025 pick. There were rumblings before the draft about the Hawks possibly moving De'Andre Hunter and/or Clint Capela, but those have been quiet as of late. The Hawks are under the tax and it is not hard to imagine them just staying put the rest of the offseason.

But what if these three teams made some improvements by way of a three-team trade?

It should be noted that this is just speculative and a fun exercise to see what kind of moves can be made, not what I think the Hawks should do or will do. That is all.

Here is the trade:

Atlanta Receives: Gabe Vincent and Jarred Vanderbilt

Los Angeles Receives: Zach LaVine, Torrey Craig, 2028 second round pick, and 2030 second round pick

Bulls Receive: D'Angelo Russell, De'Andre Hunter, and Jalen Hood Schifino

Why the Hawks do this deal: For Atlanta, they would move Hunter and turn him into Vincent and Vanderbilt. When Atlanta traded Murray, they were left without a secondary ball handler and clear option at the backup point guard spot. Could second year guard Kobe Bufkin take that spot? It is possible, but Quin Snyder gets a veteran option in Vincent until Bufkin is ready. Vanderbilt is a very good defender, although he is not a good shooter and floor-spacer. He would provide depth for the Hawks and be Jalen Johnson's backup.

Why the Hawks don't do this deal: As mentioned above, the Hawks own the Lakers 2025 unprotected pick. While I don't think adding LaVine makes the Lakers title contenders, it does make them a little better and that would hurt the Hawks chances of getting a higher pick. Are the Hawks ready to move on from Hunter and is this enough? The Hawks might like Bufkin enough and not want Vincent. Vincent is good, but he is not a high-level offensive player. Vanderbilt would be the best thing in this deal. This trade might not make the Hawks worse, but are they better because of it? You could argue they are not.

Why the Bulls do this deal: It is simple. Get off of LaVine's deal and head straight for the bottom of the standings. I am sure the Bulls would love to move him and Nikola Vucevic if they could so they could get themselves in the best position possible to get Flagg. While Chicago does not get any real high upside players in return, that shows the market for LaVine. The Bulls also don't have any players with Hunter's skillset either as a 3 and D wing player.

Why the Bulls don't do this: I think the Bulls would take any deal they could for LaVine at this point. It seems that they are not looking for a high return.

Why the Lakers do this: It is their best move left to add a talented player. While I also hate the LaVine contract and his injury history, I think people are forgetting how good he can be when healthy. He would be a good third piece around James and Davis. He can be a dynamic scorer when healthy. Craig is a solid defender and three-point shooter who could come off the bench for the Lakers and he is on a cheap contract.

Why the Lakers don't do this: While I think LaVine is at the point where he is being undervalued, his contract is really bad and he has had a hard time staying healthy. This move would also leave the Lakers without a reliable bench without Vincent or Vanderbilt. Would the Lakers just be better off running it back with their same team and hope JJ Redick can help fix their issues? Can Dalton Knecht make a big impact as a rookie? The Lakers would need him to if they moved those other players.