UCLA Men's Basketball: How Bruin-Turned-NBA All-Star Felt About Offseason Trade Rumors
Former UCLA Bruins shooting guard Zach LaVine, now a two-time All-Star with the Chicago Bulls, fielded questions during the NBA's media day last week.
Another former UCLA product, point guard Jrue Holiday, made headlines for his eventual deal to the Boston Celtics, but the trade rumors surrounding LaVine and his hefty salary were a topic of discussion during the Bulls' reporter availability, as Daniel Greenberg recalls:
LaVine's trade price continues to be a topic of discussion over the last few seasons after the All-Star scorer hasn't made a significant playoff run in his time with Chicago.
The Bulls traded for LaVine in the Jimmy Butler trade back in 2018 yet can only claim five total playoff games since getting the two-time All-Star.
LaVine's scoring numbers pop off the stat sheet, but the Eastern Conference hasn't feared the Windy City due to the team's lack of success.
Paired with fellow Pac-12 alums DeMar DeRozan and Nikola Vucevic, Chicago paired a fellow Bruin with LaVine in the backcourt as Lonzo Ball's addition made the Bulls a one seed in recent history.
Injuries have hindered the potential of this Southern California college core and the Bulls now stake claim to the worst direction in all of sports; pure mediocrity.
Vucevic inked a new three-year extension with the team but many wonder if this could be the last year of this current iteration of Bulls' basketball.
Chicago settled for a play-in spot last season and a first-round exit a year prior making many wonder how much longer the team would stay the same.
Early signs point toward at least one more season together yet the Eastern Conference remains a bloodbath for the third season in a row.
With many teams ahead of them, the 2024 trade deadline may mark the end of the former Bruin's time with the team should their season go south quickly.
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