76ers not interested in acquiring Zach LaVine: Reports
Zach LaVine might not be headed to the city of brotherly love. After being linked to the Philadelphia 76ers and the Utah Jazz, the latest update from Sixers insider Kyle Neubeck is that the front office's position on the Chicago Bulls guard has not changed and that the franchise is not keen on adding him to their roster.
Philadelphia was one of the teams alongside the Orlando Magic and the Sacramento Kings that reportedly had the Bulls "floating 15 offers" for the 2x NBA All-Star.
Neubeck's tweet now suggests that LaVine will not be suiting up with Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey for the 2024-25 season.
Ahead of next week's NBA Draft, the Bulls have already begun pulling off staggering moves. They traded Alex Caruso to the OKC Thunder for PG Josh Giddey. A 3-and-D wing and one of the best point-of-attack defenders, Caruso is the first domino to fall as Chicago swapped him for a solid playmaker in Giddey.
As for LaVine, shipping him would mean his $43 million contract for next season allows the Bulls to re-sign DeMar DeRozan and forward Patrick Williams. It also gives them the chance to add a first-round pick to their fold without entering into the luxury tax bracket.
Zach LaVine's stocks have dipped
The Chicago Bulls are looking to reshape the roster by breaking up the 'Big 3' of Zach LaVine, DeRozan, and Nikola Vucevic. However, it is worth noting that LaVine's stocks have dipped considerably despite his elite shooting and his reputation as a certified bucket. The guard averaged 9.5 points and 3.9 assists last season and is a career 38.2% sniper from the 3-point line. However, a foot injury derailed his season and the numbers took a hit.
LaVine's injury history and his salary have teams hesitating to land the guard. He is owed over $138 million over the next three years, and that's massive moolah for a player with constant injury concerns.
It will be interesting to see what deal the Bulls will work out for Zach LaVine, and while at it also see if they can manage to retain the services of free agent DeRozan.
With the Caruso trade, it's clear that the 6x NBA champs are willing to blow up the roster. Trading LaVine has been looked at as their number one priority and only time will tell whether there's a team in the offing that's willing to take on the guard's services and his hefty contract.