Chicago Bulls star Zach LaVine’s primary focus is getting healthy and returning to the court, according to his agent, Klutch Sports Group CEO Rich Paul. Trade rumors continue in the background, though.
Both LaVine and Paul have now addressed the chatter.
It does appear that LaVine’s list of preferred destinations could be longer than initially reported, though. And the ballyhooed Klutch Sports connection could be the culprit.
“For all the public focus on the prospect of [LeBron] James and [Anthony] Davis teaming up with LaVine with the Lakers, the overlooked part is that … De’Aaron Fox is a major priority for Klutch Sports these days as well,” wrote Sam Amick of The Athletic on December 18. Per league sources, LaVine would be very amenable to a Sacramento move that would make him Fox’s backcourt mate.”
This is not uncharted territory for LaVine. He signed an offer sheet with the Kings in 2018 as a restricted free agent. It took that for the Bulls to ink LaVine to a new contract. They acquired him from the Minnesota Timberwolves in a package for Jimmy Butler on draft night in 2017.
LaVine carried that process with him into unrestricted free agency in 2022. But he ultimately re-signed on a five-year, $215 million max contract without visiting any other teams.
He has been mired in trade rumors for much of his Bulls tenure, much to his chagrin.
“It’s no secret that the Sacramento Kings have an appetite — and the assets — to improve their roster,” Amick wrote citing an interview with Kings general manager Monte McNair from July.
A report from Joe Cowley of the Chicago Sun-Times on December 13 noted the relationship between LaVine and Bulls head coach Billy Donovan is “broken”, pinning most of it on the player. But Paul also suggested that a final decision for both sides to move on has not been made.
LaVine staying with the Bulls remains a distinct possibility given there has been no trade market for the 28-year-old two-time All-Star for myriad reasons.
Rich Paul Discusses Zach LaVine’s ‘Goal’, Preferred Trade Destination
“In the event the Bulls decide they would like to go a different direction with the team, and it involves Zach, then I’m sure we’ll have conversations to get clarity on what’s best for both sides,” Paul said, per Amick. “Until then, the goal is to get healthy and return ready to go.”
The Athletic’s Shams Charania reported that both LaVine’s side and the Bulls were open to a trade on November 14.
K.C. Johnson of NBC Sports Chicago reported trading LaVine was the organization’s main focus on November 29.
Paul also addressed Cowley’s report which asserted that LaVine’s camp “obviously want Los Angeles” because of the Klutch Sports connection.
“It’s not one team,” Paul said. “I don’t have a specific destination for Zach. I want what’s best for Zach and his family. When you have a guy playing the game, you want him to be able to play the game happy, whether that’s in Chicago or somewhere else.”
Zach LaVine’s Trade Market Falling Flat
Multiple sources have confirmed a December 1 report from ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski about LaVine’s non-existent trade market. Amick also notes that the two teams mentioned by Charania – the Lakers and Philadelphia 76ers – have significant hurdles (or preferences) in the way of a trade.
December 15 was the first key date to keep an eye on. A host of players around the league became trade-eligible on that day after signing contracts this past offseason.
Another wave will follow suit on January 15.
The only true deadline is the trade deadline, which falls on February 8 this season. With more teams able to contend for the postseason thanks to the Play-In Tournament, front offices are often reluctant to make significant moves until the trade deadline.
Breakdown of trades the last 2 years:
🏀Dec. 15-31 (0)
🏀Jan. 1-15 (4)
🏀Jan. 16-31 (2)
🏀Trade deadline and the week of (31)
Front offices react when there they are faced with a deadline.
That means the speculation – particularly for a player in LaVine’s situation – could continue for another month-plus if not into the offseason.
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Bulls’ Zach LaVine ‘Amenable’ to Trade, Teaming Up With Klutch Sports Co-Star