Does Chicago Bulls star Zach LaVine make sense for the Indiana Pacers in a trade?

LaVine is available for trade, according to reports

According to Shams Charania of The Athletic, the Chicago Bulls and two-time All-Star guard Zach LaVine are open to "exploring a trade." There is uncertainty about the long-term future of the Bulls.

LaVine has been with Chicago since the 2017-18 season, and he was an All-Star in both 2021 and 2022. At his best, he averaged over 27 points per game, but has struggled to lead the Bulls deep into the postseason. His only playoff appearance was in 2022, and the Bulls lost during the first round in five games.

But LaVine is still an immense talent, and he may be in a role that is slightly too large in Chicago. There is a reason that one of his best-ever seasons came when he was playing between Lonzo Ball and DeMar DeRozan, the latter of whom reached an All-NBA level that year. He didn't need to do as much.

Other teams that have lead ball handlers or a solid defensive system in place could be good fits for LaVine. According to Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports, the Los Angeles Lakers, Philadelphia 76ers, and Miami Heat have registered interest in LaVine.

One of LaVine's central division foes, the Indiana Pacers, have a lead ball handler in Tyrese Haliburton who would naturally push LaVine into a more fitting role if they shared a backcourt. But do the Pacers make sense as a LaVine destination?

The Bulls guard is a great scorer, and he is more efficient than most give him credit for. Across the last six seasons with Chicago, his true shooting percentage is over 59%, and that includes a down year this season on a listless team. He's a great play finisher despite not getting to the free throw line as much as other stars.

The UCLA product is at 37% from long range on his spot up attempts this season, per NBA.com, and he is over 40% in every other season since 2019-20. He can be a threat as a movement shooter, and he pairs that with strong rim attacks.

On defense, LaVine struggles. He doesn't stay in front of his man and is often inattentive away from the play. His athleticism makes him useful when engaged, but that hasn't been frequent for Chicago. The Pacers struggle on defense, so his fit on that end would be weak.

LaVine's Defensive Box Plus-Minus has never been better than -0.7. He hasn't been an average impact defender at any point during his career, and that holds his value down.

The star guard has three guaranteed years remaining on his contract, and it could be four if he opts in to his player option for the 2026-27 season at nearly $49 million. He will be 31 at the time, so he won't be too far away from his prime, and that is about what high-end All-Star players will cost in the rising-cap environment the NBA is currently in. LaVine is more likely to be overpaid than underpaid across the next four seasons, but his contract isn't a massive negative.

For the Pacers, LaVine would be a great offensive fit next to Haliburton. But he wouldn't be additive on defense, an area where the team really struggles, and his salary being over $40 million this season makes a trade difficult — it would be hard to come up with the proper salary matching for Indiana without gutting their team or asset pool.

LaVine would make the Pacers better, but with the team currently sporting the top offense in the league, it's fair to wonder if he is worth the value it would take to get him, especially considering the subtraction that would come in the form of outgoing players in a trade. Unless the Pacers lose expensive players to injury or LaVine's price in a deal drops, Indiana doesn't seem like the best fit for the Bulls' star at this time. Maybe in a year or so a trade would make more sense.

If Chicago is rebuilding or changing directions, Patrick Williams — a young four man who has knocked down better than 40% of his threes during his career — and Alex Caruso — one of the best perimeter defenders in the NBA — would both be better fits with the Pacers and their current direction. If they became available, they would be worth exploring for the blue and gold.

Unless something changes in the next few months, Zach LaVine doesn't seem likely to end up on the Indiana Pacers. But if the Bulls tear things down, perhaps these teams could be trade partners with other pieces.

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