The Los Angeles Lakers have been named as a potential landing spot for a two-time All-Star and electric scorer this summer.
In a May 31 column, HoopsHype’s Frank Urbina listed the Lakers as a team Zach LaVine could sign with this offseason. The Chicago Bulls star becomes an unrestricted free agent this summer.
“The reasons why the Los Angeles Lakers would want LaVine are obvious. He’s the top free agent on the market this summer, a huge factor for a proud franchise that loves to make big splashes, he’s represented by Klutch, the same agency as LeBron James and Anthony Davis and he’d provide a huge boost to a Lakers team that ranked 22nd league-wide in points per 100 possessions last season,” Urbina wrote.
“LaVine ranked in the 79th percentile in isolation scoring last season, producing 1.02 points per possession (PPP) on those opportunities while the Lakers were 13th in the same play type, proving what a need the club has for a one-on-one scorer like LaVine, who’d help take a lot of the offensive load off of James.”
As Urbina mentioned, LaVine has the same agent as Lakers superstars LeBron James and Anthony Davis. The two-time Slam Dunk champion went to college at UCLA and he recently told TMZ he’s always been a big fan of the Lakers.
However, Los Angeles will need to create a max slot to sign LaVine, who averaged 24.4 points for the Bulls in 2021-22.
Here’s How Lakers Can Get LaVine
Since the Lakers don’t have the cap space to sign LaVine outright, they will have to complete a sign-and-trade deal with the Bulls to acquire him.
“Per our salary-cap expert Yossi Gozlan, the only real way for the Lakers to successfully sign-and-trade for Zach LaVine is if Russell Westbrook is included in the deal, or he is salary dumped beforehand,” Urbina wrote. “This is because sign-and-trading for a free agent like LaVine would subject the Lakers to the $156 million hard cap, which the Lakers would need to stay below with at least 14 players. By replacing Westbrook’s $47.1 million amount with LaVine’s projected $36.6 million starting salary, they can still fill out the rest of the roster around him, LeBron James, Anthony Davis, and the rest of the players currently under contract.
“The only problem is that the Lakers would be limited to signing minimum players the rest of the way, meaning they’ll be looking at another season with 9-10 minimum players on the roster. It’s hard to see the Lakers being contenders with the majority of the roster being minimum players again.”
LaVine can sign a five-year, $212 million deal with the Bulls or a four-year contract worth $157 million with another team this offseason, per ESPN’s Bobby Marks. The 27-year-old, who underwent successful left knee arthroscopic surgery on May 24 at the Cedars-Sinai Kerlan-Jobe Institute in Los Angeles, told Bulls reporters during his exit interview in April that he plans to enjoy free agency.
LaVine Is Excited to Experience Unrestricted Free Agency
LaVine is eager to experience unrestricted free agency for the first time. He was a restricted free agent in the summer of 2018 and signed a four-year, $78 million offer sheet with the Sacramento Kings, a deal the Bulls matched.
“It’s a big decision, not just for me, but for my family,” LaVine said. “Obviously, I’m going to take my time and look into everything, talk with my agent. I think it’s an opportunity not a lot of people in my situation actually get to get to and I think it’s exciting. I’m looking forward to it.
“I plan to enjoy free agency with what it is as a whole. I think you’re going to have to experience A-Z without making any fast decisions. I think that’s something that me and Rich (Paul) get to go through and experience. … I don’t think I’m going to have to be in negotiations. They’re going to have to talk to Rich. For me, I get to sit back and figure it out from that point.”
LaVine has career averages of 19.8 points, 3.9 rebounds and 3.9 assists in 478 regular-season games with the Minnesota Timberwolves and Bulls.
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Lakers Considered Landing Spot for 2-Time All-Star & Electric Scorer