Zach LaVine Unhappy with Slumping Bulls? Mavs Should Monitor for Trade Opportunity
When a team with high aspirations starts losing more games than expected, tension builds. That's just human nature, and that's what seems to be happening with the Chicago Bulls, who lost their fourth consecutive game on Friday night to the Orlando Magic and fell to 6-10 on the year.
Bulls star Zach LaVine, who averages 22 points, four rebounds and four assists per game for Chicago, had a rough go of things against Orlando, as he finished with just four points on just 1-14 shooting in 25 minutes of play. Bulls coach Billy Donovan benched LaVine down the stretch, and that didn't go over well in the postgame media availability.
"That's Billy's decision," said LaVine of his coach benching him in the loss. "He's gotta lay with it. Do I agree with it? No. ... You play a guy like me down the stretch. That's what I do."
LaVine is in the first year of his recently-signed five-year, $215 million max contract, so one would think the Bulls would be in now hurry to trade him. However, if things continue to go south for Chicago, perhaps a change of scenery is what would be best for LaVine ... and the Dallas Mavericks would be a perfect fit for what he brings to the table.
Yes, there are other teams that can probably make more attractive trade offers than the Mavs can, but as former Mavs GM Donnie Nelson used to always tell us, NBA trade season is "like a fireman's existence," meaning that you never know when the bell is going to ring.
Due to the fact that Dallas is limited with draft capital until after the 2023 draft, many believe the next big attempt to add a co-star next to perennial MVP candidate Luka Doncic won't happen this season. However, if the opportunity to trade for LaVine did present itself, the Mavs should be all over it, as LaVine is arguably the perfect co-star to add next to Doncic, at least from an offensive-skillset perspective. LaVine is comfortable handling the ball, but he is also capable of playing off-ball as well, as he shoots 38.3 percent on catch-and-shoot 3s.
We've been writing about the Mavs' pipe-dream trade scenario with LaVine for nearly three years now, and that's still what this is – a pipe-dream ... but it's a pipe-dream worth chasing for Dallas. Not to mention, we already know the Mavs have a lot of interest in the idea of adding LaVine. Here is what NBA reporter Marc Stein had to say over the summer before free agency began:
"Sources nonetheless maintain that one option already being weighed by team brass is the prospect of joining the sign-and-trade bidding for the Chicago Bulls' Zach LaVine, amid a growing belief around the league that LaVine, as he heads into free agency, has more interest in leaving Chicago than initially presumed."
Stein continued: "As much as Cuban and GM Nico Harrison have openly acknowledged a pressing need to bolster their rim protection and rebounding, Dallas sees LaVine as the sort of player who could fill other crucial needs with his ability to both play off Doncic as a long-range shooter and likewise collapse defenses by slashing to the basket to score."
Although it might not be enough, here is a hypothetical offer we could see the Mavs giving the Bulls:
Mavs receive: Zach LaVine
Bulls receive: Tim Hardaway Jr., Reggie Bullock, Josh Green, 2027 first-round pick, 2029 first-round pick and pick-swaps in 2026 and 2028
Again ... the Mavs could make a much better offer next summer when they have more picks available to trade, so the pitch above could very well result in the Bulls hanging up the phone. But, as always, the Mavs should leave no stone unturned, because crazier things have happened.
Let's check back in with the Bulls about a month from now when recently-signed players can officially be traded on Dec. 15.
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