Zach LaVine is drawing trade interest from two NBA teams amid intensifying rumors that the Chicago Bulls are open to moving him.
Last year LaVine signed a five-year, $215 million contract extension. Almost immediately after the ink dried, he began to express a certain degree of frustration with his situation there.
LaVine also wasn’t shy about revealing which team he would prefer to be with.
With the Bulls clearly moving more towards a “rebuilding” phase than a “contending” one, other NBA teams have begun kicking the tires on a potential LaVine deal.
According to K.C. Johnson of NBC Sports, the Portland Trail Blazers and Philadelphia 76ers are two squads to keep an eye on when it comes to LaVine.
“League sources said that LaVine has landed in preliminary conversations with both the Philadelphia 76ers and Portland Trail Blazers, who are working with James Harden and Damian Lillard, respectively, to find them new homes,” he wrote.
Whether anything actually materializes on either front remains to be seen.
One team LaVine clearly wants nothing to do with is the New York Knicks, so they’re out of the race for his services. But beyond that, it’s an open question regarding where he will land.
The Los Angeles Lakers’ potential path to LaVine was outlined by ESPN NBA insider Zach Lowe at one point, but obviously circumstances have changed slightly since then. Nevertheless, LaVine has ties to L.A. and would love to play there.
Vanessa is having herself quite the vacation. https://t.co/M6SXdUoxLO
— Game 7 (@game7__) July 11, 2023
One way or another, though – it is becoming increasingly apparent that LaVine isn’t long for Chicago.
The Bulls will eventually end up trading him simply because it doesn’t make sense to keep him if they are not actively trying to build around him.
Where will LaVine ultimately be playing when the 2023-24 NBA season commences? Time will tell.
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Charles Kruger has been credentialed to cover two Super Bowls, four NBA Finals, and one World Series. A 20-year veteran in the sports world, he has sources spanning the NBA, MLB, NFL, UFC and NASCAR. Currently residing in Los Angeles, Calif., he is Game 7’s go-to source for rumors surrounding the Lakers, Clippers and Dodgers.
