Zach LaVine Mavs Trade Idea: Bulls & Cavs 3-Way?
There's nothing harder this time of year than trying to predict what trades teams could potentially make before the NBA trade deadline. This year, the deadline is on Feb. 9, and rumors are are picking up steam with each passing day.
When it comes to the Dallas Mavericks, everyone knows that the front office would love nothing more than to pair another star-level player next to Luka Doncic, who is having a historic season at the age of 23. We've written at length about how Chicago Bulls star Zach LaVine would be a seamless backcourt pairing with Doncic, and we also know the Mavs are fans of LaVine's game.
Given that the Bulls could be on the verge of blowing up their roster, and that the Cleveland Cavaliers apparently have eyes for Mavs veteran Tim Hardaway Jr., perhaps a three-way trade between Dallas, Chicago and Cleveland could satisfy all sides to an extent. Here's what we're thinking.
Mavs receive: Zach LaVine, Andre Drummond
Bulls receive: Caris LeVert, Dorian Finney-Smith, Reggie Bullock, two future first-round picks and two future first-round pick swaps
Cavs receive: Tim Hardaway Jr., one second-round pick
The Mavs don't want to spend any first round picks right now unless it's for a trade they believe will put them over the top. Whether adding LaVine into the mix would do that or not can be debated, but what can't be debated is that Dallas' roster would instantly become more talented with a trade of this nature.
Having a supreme offensive talent like LaVine next to Doncic could help the Mavs avoid situations like they had on Tuesday night, as Doncic scored 20 of his team's 23 fourth-quarter points in a 113-101 loss to the Los Angeles Clippers.
The Bulls are the most-likely team to object to this particular trade scenario due to the lack of first-round picks more than anything else. After seeing what Donovan Mitchell, Dejounte Murray and Rudy Gobert were traded for last summer, one would think the Bulls would require at least three first-round picks in a LaVine trade.
Would the addition of another young player like Josh Green or Jaden Hardy make up for the Mavs potentially not having enough picks to offer? Given Dallas’ already-shallow pool of young assets, would the front office strip that down further to add a player like LaVine, who, as good as he is, has had some knee issues?
If Chicago doesn't trade LaVine before the deadline, the Mavs will have a much better shot at getting in on opportunities like that this summer when their draft-pick flexibility opens up ... assuming they don't trade any first-rounders in the coming weeks.
But … if the Mavs can get a better deal now, that would be the better long-term scenario. Stay tuned to DallasBasketball.com as trade season marches on.
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