The Chicago Bulls have been putting together a solid season since their rough start to the year. They’ve propelled themselves back into the Play-In Tournament race, leaving teams like the Toronto Raptors and Atlanta Hawks in the dust. That said, the trade deadline should be an interesting checkpoint in their season.
Trade rumors have followed the Bulls all year, and Zach LaVine’s name has been the most popular among their regulars. He’s been linked to a multitude of teams over the course of the past few months, and it’s looking more and more like the Bulls could choose to move on from him.
However, according to Dan Woike of the LA Times, the trade market for LaVine is “so rough” that the Bulls may have to add value to the deal just to get off his massive contract.
“Zach LaVine, long rumored to be on the trade market, isn’t usually a name that comes up when talking to people about the Lakers’ interest because of his contract and injury history,” Woike wrote. “The trade market for him around the league, sources say, is so rough that the thought is Chicago should have to add stuff in a LaVine trade to get off the contract.”
Obviously, Woike covers the Los Angeles market, so there’s a chance his reporting is coming from sources within the Los Angeles Lakers organization who would benefit from this type of angle, as they have reportedly shown an interest in LaVine.
That said, LaVine’s contract is huge. He still has three years left on his deal after this season and will make roughly $43 million, $46 million, and $49 million, respectively, with a player option in the final year.
