A divorce between the Bulls and Zach LaVine has felt inevitable for a while now. As tricky as he is to trade given his huge contract, detailed injury history and lack of team success, Chicago seems determined to do everything in his power to find him a new home.
"A team source reiterated that trading the two-time All-Star remains priority one, two, and three this summer, with the hope to not only get off the remaining three years, nearly $138 million left on the max contract, but also to make sure the runway remained clear for the continued emergence of Coby White as a lead guard," Joe Cowley of the Chicago Sun-Times reported.
If Chicago can find a taker, it shouldn't need much in return. Some draft considerations would be nice, though anything more than a protected first-round pick seems optimistic. Financial relief would help, too. As far as incoming players go, plug-and-play veterans at any of the frontcourt spots should work.
In the end, though, it's more about moving LaVine (and his money) than it is bringing back whatever he'd command. That won't be easily done, but with teams like the Orlando Magic and Detroit Pistons having both financial flexibility and a need for more perimeter scoring, there should be a LaVine trade out there that satisfies all parties.
