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The Chicago Bulls gauged the trade interest in All-Star guard Zach LaVine this past offseason. And we may now know one of their desired targets.
It has been slow going for the Bulls as there is no market for LaVine, per ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski on December 1. LaVine remains a Bulls despite both sides being open to a trade
“The Bulls are still searching for the type of haul that a multi-time All-Star typically draws,” wrote Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports on December 15. “Chicago has also attempted swapping LaVine for other All-Star players, such as pitching Cleveland on the concept of acquiring Darius Garland from the Cavaliers, sources said.”
Garland, 23, was the No. 5 overall pick in the 2019 draft and an All-Star in his third season. He is out for the next month with a broken jaw.
That is two slots ahead of where the Bulls picked, selecting Coby White. It is unclear when the Bulls floated this idea. But White has developed into a solid point guard this season, rewarding the Bulls for re-signing him this past offseason.
A Garland-White backcourt wouldn’t be very stout defensively. But neither is one featuring LaVine and White. And Alex Caruso’s latest injury is a reminder of why head coach Billy Donovan prefers to bring the 2023 First Team All-Defensive star off the bench rather than start him as he did in their last outing.
Garland is averaging 20.7 points, 5.9 assists, and 2.8 rebounds this season. A 38.4% three-point shooter in his career, Garland is shooting 34.6% from deep this year.
He is in the first year of a five-year, $197.2 million contract.
The appeal is that unlike White –who has turned himself from an afterthought to nearly indispensable – Garland is a natural point guard. One linked to the Bulls during the pre-draft process.
A White and Garland combination in the Bulls’ backcourt would also be undersized. But they would be capable of scoring with anyone.
Bulls Seeking All-Star Return in Potential Zach LaVine Trade
Fischer suggests that the Bulls are right to ask for a star-level return in any trade for LaVine, noting the guard’s resume qualifies him as such. He also revealed what appears to be an updated asking price, perhaps one that better reflects LaVine’s value.
“An established starter, plus a young player with upside and then first-round draft capital,” Fischer said of the Bulls’ asking price, citing league sources.
That is different from their previously reported asking price.
“One league source said the Bulls would be focused on getting a good young player, multiple first-round picks and salary filler if they decide to trade LaVine,” wrote NBC Sports Chicago’s K.C. Johnson on June 19. “Another said one first-round pick and an established, high-end player might be sufficiently intriguing.”
His latest absence with foot inflammation gives credence to concerns about his long-term health. It has cost him the last seven games, a span that has seen the team go 5-2. Their success without him highlights concerns about his style of play translating to wins.
There is still the matter of his five-year, $215 million contract, of which three years and $138 million remain after this season.
LaVine’s preferred trade destination is Los Angeles, per Joe Cowley of the Chicago Sun-Times on December 13, who also notes that the Bulls and LaVine had been linked to the Toronto Raptors.
More Trade Chatter Around Donovan Mitchell
There hasn’t been any talk of the Cavaliers or Garland looking for a different situation. But teammate Donovan Mitchell has been deemed as a player to watch in trade rumors. He is in the third year of his five-year, $163 million pact. But some believe he won’t re-sign in Cleveland.
He turned down the opportunity to do so ahead of this season. But Mitchell pointed to the offseason as another chance to ink a new contract with the Cavaliers.
But, if they get the sense that Mitchell indeed has no plans of re-upping when his contract expires, it could behoove them to move him. It is a similar situation to the one the Bulls found themselves in before re-signing LaVine in 2022.
Would the Bulls want to go down that road again, this time with Mitchell?
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