Zach LaVine’s name remains at the center of the conversation regarding a potential Lakers and Bulls deal, whether Los Angeles wants that to be the case or not. While the latest trade rumors have been headlined by the team’s interest in DeMar DeRozan or Alex Caruso, the conversation always seems to come back to LaVine.
During a recent conversation between The Athletic’s Lakers beat writer Jovan Buha and Bulls beat writer Darnell Mayberry, the DeRozan/Caruso interest was reiterated. But Buha also offered a breakdown of what a potential offer from the Lakers could look like, pegging it as the “high end” of what the team would be willing to put on the table.
For LaVine specifically, I think the Lakers would consider a D’Angelo Russell-centric deal, but I don’t think they’d throw in much more than a combination of salary filler (Rui Hachimura and/or Gabe Vincent), a young prospect (Max Christie or Jalen Hood-Schifino) and a protected pick (2029 or 2030 first rounder). The Lakers would fight to keep Hachimura and Christie, to be clear. But I see that offer on the high end of what they’d be willing to give up.
