ESPN Insider Floats Jazz-Bulls Blockbuster Trade Idea

Would Chicago Bulls SG Zach LaVine be a good fit for the Utah Jazz?

Nov 6, 2023; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Chicago Bulls guard Zach LaVine (8) drives to the basket against Utah Jazz forward Kelly Olynyk (41) during the second half at United Center. Mandatory Credit: Kamil Krzaczynski-USA TODAY Sports / Kamil Krzaczynski-USA TODAY Sports

ESPN NBA insider and former assistant general manager for the Brooklyn Nets, Bobby Marks, outlined a potential trade between the Utah Jazz and Chicago Bulls that he would like to see this offseason. The trade idea has the Jazz sending John Collins and Jordan Clarkson to the Bulls for Zach LaVine.

It has been rumored that the Bulls have discussed trading LaVine at this year’s trade deadline. The Jazz have been reported to be potentially looking to move both Collins and Clarkson as well. On the surface, this deal makes a lot of sense for both teams.

The exchange works with the salary cap, and the Jazz would add $2.3 million to their cap sheet if this idea came to fruition. LaVine is owed just shy of $138 million over the last three years of his contract, with the final year being a player option worth $48,967,380. Normally, a player of LaVine’s salary would command a young player and/or draft picks included in a deal for him. In this case, the first and second aprons greatly affect the team's salary cap situations, and his bigger salary potentially lowers his price.

Collins is owed $53,160,000 over the next two seasons with a $26,580,000 player option on the last year of his contract. Clarkson is owed $28,378,291 over the next two seasons and will become an unrestricted free agent before the 2026-27 season. The salary cap ramifications for the Jazz are essentially adding LaVine’s extra salary in the 2026-27 season because he has three years on his contract. 

Collins and Clarkson are signed through the next two seasons. This could be well worth the risk for the Jazz as LaVine is an All-Star caliber player when healthy, and would be banking on him returning to that level and potentially elevating him under head coach Will Hardy.

LaVine is a two-time all-star who has averaged 24.7 PPG, 4.7 RPG, and 4.4 APG in 350 games over the last six seasons. He would immediately bolster Utah’s offense, which was already pretty good this year, and add a dynamic scoring option next to Lauri Markkanen, who made an All-Star game himself during the 2022-23 campaign.

Danny Ainge has proven to be a value hunter during his tenure in the league, and this proposal by Marks is the exact type of trade he would take a look at and potentially do.

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