The NBA offseason has barely begun, and it is already full of trade rumors, and while the Chicago Bulls seem content with running back the same core, that might not be the best course of action. And based on the Zach LaVine trade rumblings brought to light by Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports, Chicago may have come to that realization.
According to Elias Schuster of Bleacher Nation, the Bulls could use the recent Bradley Beal trade rumors to their advantage, as they possess the better trade asset in LaVine. If they float him, or even DeMar DeRozan, out as trade bait, it could be worthwhile.
Schuster believes the Bulls could not only ask for more in a trade for LaVine than the Washington Wizards could get for Beal, but he thinks Chicago has the better player to offer.
“Anyway, I just think Beal’s potential availability only opens the door further for the Bulls to get in on trade talks,” Schuster wrote. “I guess a case could be made that less market competition is always better, but there is an opportunity here for Chicago to potentially slide into certain discussions with a more appealing asset. Heck, even DeMar DeRozan might be a cheaper option for teams that ultimately feel uncomfortable going all-in for Beal.
At the very least, the Beal talks around the NBA should help set the price for a LaVine trade. The Bulls can go in and see what teams are willing to give up for Beal and figure out how much more they can realistically ask for on top of that. And that’s not nothing!”
Whether or not the Bulls actually trade LaVine is the better question, but they should definitely keep their options open.
