Former Bruin Involved in Splash Trade

Former UCLA guard Zach LaVine is on the move. The Chicago Bulls are finalizing a multi-team deal to send Lavine back to the state where he played his collegiate ball.

Jan 25, 2025; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Chicago Bulls guard Zach LaVine (8) brings the ball up the court against the Philadelphia 76ers during the first quarter at United Center. Mandatory Credit: David Banks-Imagn Images | David Banks-Imagn Images

A deal is being finalized to send former UCLA guard Zach LaVine from the Chicago Bulls to the Sacramento Kings in a multi-team deal, involving several stars that is shaking up the NBA landscape for the foreseeable future, per ESPN's Shams Charania.

BREAKING: Sacramento is finalizing a trade to send De'Aaron Fox to the San Antonio Spurs in a multi-team trade that moves Chicago Bulls' Zach LaVine to the Kings, sources tell ESPN. pic.twitter.com/Ftmo8N4hMj

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) February 3, 2025

The deal highlights Sacramento Kings guard De'Aaron Fox going to the San Antonio Spurs alongside Jordan McLaughlin in return for LaVine, three future first-round picks and three future second-rounders.

The Bulls got involved with their star guard, receiving Spurs forward, Zach Collins, guard Tre Jones, Kings shooting guard Kevin Huerter and a 2025 first-round pick.

LaVine was rumored to be dealt sometime this season with several destinations that looked promising. He will ultimately come back to play out West for the first time since he sported the Blue and Gold a decade ago.

In his lone season with the Bruins in 2013-14, LaVine averaged 9.4 points and 2.5 rebounds in 37 games. He helped lead UCLA to a Sweet Sixteen appearance in the NCAA Tournament before being drafted 13th overall by the Minnesota Timberwolves in 2014.

Currently in his 10th NBA season and eighth with the Bulls, LaVine is thriving with an average of 24 points with career highs from the field (51.1%) and 3-point range (44.6%). He has never averaged under 10 points per game in his career and has been historically consistent.

LaVine has started all 42 games that he has played this year and will become a star piece for a Kings team that sits 10th in the Western Conference at 24-24. At 29 years old, there is still a lot left in the tank for the former Bruin, who looks to provide a spark to a playoff push for his new team.

The Kings will acquire the $46 million owed next season with a $48.9 million player option for the 2026-27 season. With just two years left on his deal, LaVine will look to be re-signed by Sacramento or moved to another organization as an unsigned free agent in 2027-'28.

LaVine will reunite with one of his former teammates in 15th-year veteran small forward DeMar DeRozan. The pair played together in Chicago from 2021 to 2024, each averaging 20-plus points per game. They made the postseason in 2021 and Play-In Tournament in their final two seasons together.

UCLA has had numerous stars thrive at the highest level of the decades, but LaVine is a shining piece that wil go down as one of the best to do it out of Westwood. Many Bruin fans may have a better chance to catch him in action as he rejoins the Western Conference and returns to California.

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