Lakers Rumors: Prices For Possible Trade Targets Reportedly Revealed

Would Los Angeles be willing to part with this level of draft equity?

Nov 27, 2021; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Miami Heat forward Jimmy Butler (22) is defended by Chicago Bulls center Nikola Vucevic (9) during the second half at United Center. Mandatory Credit: David Banks-Imagn Images / David Banks-Imagn Images

At 14-18 on the year, the Chicago Bulls appear to be headed nowhere fast.

The team currently occupies the Eastern Conference's No. 9 seed, and seems doomed for play-in also-ran status for the third straight year — barring any kinds of trades to either improve or bottom out.

Given that the Bulls owe the San Antonio Spurs a top-10-protected 2025 NBA Draft pick, the team may want to try the latter option.

The 18-13 Los Angeles Lakers are similarly mediocre in the far more competitive West, and could potentially benefit from picking up a few Bulls vets — if Chicago is willing to part with them, anyway. Two-time All-Star swingman Zach LaVine, two-time All-Star center Nikola Vucevic, former Lakers No. 2 overall draft pick Lonzo Ball, and guards Coby White and Ayo Dosunmu would all be interesting options for a Lakers team looking to spruce up its offense (which it could do with LaVine, White and Vucevic) and shore up its perimeter defense (Ball and Dosunmu would help with that).

With D'Angelo Russell now off the board and headed back to the Brooklyn Nets, LaVine's contract becomes much harder to obtain in a trade.

So what would it cost the Lakers to instead acquire, say, Vucevic and Ball?

The Chicago Sun-Times' Joe Cowley reveals that, though some had speculated Vucevic could even cost rival clubs a first round draft pick in a trade, he most likely will only cost teams a few second round draft picks.

Vucevic, once a two-time All-Star with the Orlando Magic, has enjoyed something of a bounce back season in Chicago. The 6-foot-10 vet, 34, is averaging 20.7 points on .581/.456/.853 shooting splits, 9.8 rebounds, 3.2 assists, 0.8 steals and 0.7 blocks a night across 30 healthy bouts for the team. That 45.6 percent 3-point conversion rate, on 4.5 triple tries per game, would represent a career high across the duration of a full season. But there's time yet for his hot start to fall back to earth.

Ball, meanwhile, could cost fewer second round picks and a similar expiring contract.

Following three knee surgeries, the 6-foot-6 vet out of UCLA has played in his first games with Chicago since January 2022. But, even on a minutes restriction, the 27-year-old has invariably been sidelined, missing a month of action with a wrist injury and currently day-to-day with an illness. In just 12 games off the bench for Chicago, Ball is averaging 5.2 points on .313/.283/1.000 shooting splits, 3.6 assists, 3.1 rebounds, 1.1 steals and 06. blocks a night.

More Lakers: Los Angeles' Trade Deadline Roster Plans Reportedly Revealed