Getty Head coach Billy Donovan of the Chicago Bulls.
Chicago Bulls star Zach LaVine could be of interest to the Philadelphia 76ers in a trade this offseason if Executive Vice President of Basketball Operations Arturas Karnisovas attaches draft capital to the two-time All-Star, per Yahoo Sports’ Jake Fischer.
This season, the Sixers also rostered a potential key target for the Bulls in free agency.
They are coming off a season where they achieved Karnisovas’ goal of shooting more threes. But they failed to make enough of them and adding more perimeter scoring is critical.
“If the Bulls get nothing else done this offseason, they should at least find ways to up their three-point volume. There is a cap on how efficient this offense can be when it holds bottom-five rankings in three-point makes (27th) and attempts (26th), never mind what better spacing might mean for attackers like [DeMar] DeRozan and Coby White,” Bleacher Report’s Zach Buckley wrote on May 23.
“It wouldn’t be shocking to see Chicago throw the entire non-taxpayers mid-level exception at this perimeter deficiency, and if it does, that might be enough to snag Buddy Hield.”
Buddy Hield is on FIRE with 5 first half triples! 🔥
Hield, 31, averaged 12.1 points and shot 38.6% from deep last season.
Buckley also suggested targeting Indiana Pacers big man Jalen Smith and Miami Heat guard Caleb Martin. Martin averaged a career-high 10 PPG this season. Smith would add much-needed size and a budding shooting touch (42.4% on 2.4 threes per game).
Neither would directly address the Bulls’ need for volume and efficiency from beyond the arc like Hield, who topped Buckley’s list, would.
Buddy Hield Listed as Bulls Free Agency Target, Wants to Return to 76ers
Hield split the campaign between the Pacers and 76ers, falling out of the latter’s rotation for the better part of three games in their opening-round playoff series against the New York Knicks. He is wrapping up a four-year, $94 million contract.
He said he would like to return to the 76ers in free agency.
“I’d like to be in Philly again,” Hield told reporters on May 3. “Philly’s – it’s priority for me. And we’ll see when it comes down. My agent is one call away and we’ll figure something … out. But if not, I’m gonna put my head down and keep working, and I’m sure God is going to open up doors for me regardless.”
What a second quarter from Buddy Hield!
17 points on 5-for-7 3PT shooting in the period to help swing the Sixers into the lead (after they trailed by as much as 22 in the first).
Here’s every shot Hield took in Q2 of Game 6 vs. the Knicks. #Sixers
The Sixers are expected to pursue a third star to pair with Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey, per Fischer, which could put players like Hield on the back burner.
The NTMLE is worth $12.9 million in 2024-25, per Spotrac. That is a roughly $7 million decrease in salary from this season for the former Sacramento Kings first-round pick. It would also put the Bulls into the luxury tax, which they have historically avoided.
Sending LaVine to Philadelphia and Hield to Chicago in a sign-and-trade makes more sense.
Bulls Could Have to Pay to Move Zach LaVine
“Striking out on a big-time wing would also leave the door open for Philadelphia to consider taking back a player such as Zach LaVine, sources said, in the event Chicago or another team is willing to attach draft capital to move off salary,” Fischer wrote on May 23.
This is not the first report of the Bulls’ potentially having to attach additional assets to LaVine to offload the remaining three years and $138 million on his five-year, $215.1 million contract.
But Karnisovas has not traded LaVine to dump his salary.
That might not change this offseason either. Karnisovas promised to shake up the roster, with a LaVine trade expected to be the priority, per the Chicago Sun-Times’ Joe Cowley on April 27. But doing so in a salary dump wouldn’t help the Bulls improve.