Now more than a full month into NBA free agency, the Los Angeles Lakers are unlikely to make a big-name acquisition in the short-term, though the long game remains very much in play.
In this case, next year’s February 6 trade deadline represents the end of that long game, and the Lakers must decide in the interim how best to add to a roster that has earned the Western Conference’s No. 7 seed in each of the past three postseasons.
There is no telling who might come available over the next six months, though Zach Buckley of Bleacher Report compiled a list on August 2 of five prominent players he predicts will be on the move ahead of the deadline. Among those players is Zach LaVine of the Chicago Bulls, who averages 20.5 points per game across his 10-year career and is due $43 million next season in the third year of his $215 million contract.
“LaVine has spent the better part of the last year (at least) on the trade block. He’d be long gone by now if it wasn’t for the many warts impacting his value,” Buckley wrote. “He has his flaws, but he’s still a two-time All-Star who always posts strong offensive numbers when he’s healthy. Some win-now shopper that is starved for scoring and shooting will eventually target him as a quick fix.”
If the Lakers wanted LaVine badly enough, they would already have him, as the Bulls have aggressively shopped him to no avail. That is partly due to his contract as well as the mere 25 games he played last year. But as next season wears on, the pressure to make the most of the LeBron James–Anthony Davis contention window may force L.A. to the point of desperation.
Zach LaVine Can Help Lakers’ Offense, Would Likely Hurt Defense
Jovan Buha of The Athletic reported on July 16 that Los Angeles intends to proceed patiently and studiously with regards to any trade.
“The Lakers have made it clear they’re not going to trade just to trade,” Buha wrote. “They want it to be purposeful. They may only get one or two more swings with James and Davis. The bar for trading one of their first-round picks, let alone two, is high.”
L.A. can deal its first-rounders in 2029 and 2031, and the expiring contract of D’Angelo Russell (roughly $19 million) is a good start toward building a package that complies with league rules and would interest a team looking to build for the future.
The Bulls may fit that bill organizationally, but the issue is with LaVine’s compilation of strengths and weaknesses. His lack of defensive prowess and, at times, empty-calorie offense could hurt the Lakers as much as he helps them.
The high-flying guard/forward combo scored between 23.7 points and 27.4 points on average across a five-year stretch (2018-23). He is also a career 38.2% 3-point shooter on 5.8 attempts per game and can also run the point while doing a little bit of playmaking — mostly for himself, but occasionally for others.
That combination would take pressure off of James offensively and help him shoulder the load. LaVine could also eat up minutes as a high-scoring replacement for James when the team sits the latter due to injury or for purposes of rest.
The defense, however, is problematic. LaVine earned a defensive rating of 117.8 last season, while the league average defender posted a rating of 116.1. As such, playing LaVine alongside Austin Reaves would put L.A. in a tough position in the backcourt.
Lakers May Be Able to Acquire Zach LaVine Without Trading Any First-Round Picks
The Lakers’ dilemma exists in that the other star-level players potentially available — such as Trae Young of the Atlanta Hawks, Jerami Grant of the Portland Trailblazers and Brandon Ingram of the New Orleans Pelicans — all would bring massive contracts with them to Southern California as well as serious fit issues, either on one side of the court or both.
Nearly three months into the regular season, more (and perhaps better) options should be available based on how the standings play out and which teams are looking toward the future rather than the present. That said, there is no guarantee anyone will be a better fit for L.A. or less expensive to acquire/pay for several years into the future.
The Lakers are going to take their time, as Buha reported, but they are also a near lock to make a move before the deadline. That is due to the simple facts that the Western Conference is top-heavy and dominant in its upper echelon, and the Lakers have aging superstars in James and Davis who will demand win-now investment from their front office.
And while LaVine’s defense and contract are problems, his offense and mitigated trade value could prove worth it to Los Angeles in a pinch — especially if the Lakers can acquire him for only expiring contracts, perhaps holding onto both of their first-rounders (or maybe even acquiring a pick in the process) and selling the move as a salary cap favor to the rebuilding Bulls.
