Two Suns Rivals Highlighted as Suitors for Zach LaVine

The Phoenix Suns may have to encounter Zach LaVine sooner than later within the division.

PHOENIX -- More stars aligned within the Pacific Division to start the 2023-24 season, and one more could be added to the constellation of basketball's toughest group of teams. 

The Phoenix Suns added Bradley Beal to a division that already features names such as Steph Curry and LeBron James among a plethora of others. After James Harden recently landed in LA, Zach LaVine may soon follow suit. 

LaVine's time with the Chicago Bulls appears to be coming to a close, as the guard reportedly wants to join a winning organization while Chicago simply can't offer that at this point in time. 

The two-time NBA All-Star has interest in joining the Los Angeles Lakers and Sacramento Kings - among other squads - according to Yahoo! Sports' Jake Fischer. 

"At first blush, the Lakers appear the most natural partner for the Bulls, as Los Angeles is mired in its own suboptimal start and has already attempted various iterations of a third scoring option behind LeBron James and Anthony Davis," reported Fischer. 

"LaVine played his college ball at UCLA and also shares an agent with James and Davis in Rich Paul of Klutch Sports. Los Angeles, though, will likely be restricted in its approach for LaVine until Dec. 15, when the Lakers can move free agents they signed this offseason such as D’Angelo Russell and Rui Hachimura to help match LaVine’s $40.1 million cap hit, in addition to lacking the first-round draft capital Chicago will surely covet in return. 

"There is a general belief among league figures that any LaVine trade, whether to Los Angeles or otherwise, won’t occur until a later stage of this early season as opposed to something more imminent."

There was less meat on Sacramento's end of the bone.

"There are several other contending situations LaVine would welcome joining, sources said, one being Sacramento. The Kings signed LaVine to an offer sheet during his restricted free agency in 2018, albeit before this present front office regime took the reins in Northern California," Fischer wrote. 

The Suns are currently 6-6 in a tough western conference that is ran by the defending NBA champion Denver Nuggets. Should LaVine make his way out West, that would certainly be even more tough sledding for Phoenix than already anticipated.