Why Chicago Bulls retaining Zach LaVine and veterans makes sense after trading for Josh Giddey
The Chicago Bulls and Zach LaVine saga hit a standstill over the summer. Last season, amid rumors of frustration and behind-the-scenes drama surrounding his role with the franchise and the direction the team was heading, LaVine's name popped up in trade rumors.
At the time, the leading contender to land the two-time All-Star was the LA Lakers, who were reportedly interested in pairing the championship-winning duo of LeBron James and Anthony Davis with the talented scorer. According to reports, LaVine was interested in the deal, however, nothing came to fruition.
This summer, after LaVine underwent season-ending foot surgery in February, his name once again emerged as a potential trade candidate.
With the Chicago Bulls parting ways with DeMar DeRozan, and focusing on a young core of Coby White, Patrick Williams, Ayo Dosunmu, Matas Buzelis, and the recently acquired Josh Giddey, it seemed to be only a matter of time before a trade was finalized.
Then came the uncertainty and doubt. According to a report from Marc Stein, Zach LaVine's contract proved difficult to move for Chicago's front office duo of executive vice president Arturas Karnisovas and general manager Marc Eversley.
As a result, the latest reports have indicated that the Chicago Bulls have "resigned themselves" to the fact that LaVine will be on the roster to begin the 2024-25 season. The news frustrated many Chicago fans given that LaVine and Nikola Vucevic seem to be the last remnants of the failed 2021 Bulls roster.
While trading LaVine and Vucevic could help Chicago fully commit to the young group that impressed in LaVine's absence last season, there are several reasons that keeping Zach LaVine and veteran center Nikola Vucevic could prove to be a smart strategy heading into the season ahead.
Looking at how retaining Zach LaVine and Nikola Vucevic could be a smart decision for the Chicago Bulls following the acquisition of Josh Giddey
At the time Arturas Karnisovas took the helm of the Chicago Bulls franchise, he quickly fired off a series of moves that turned heads. In addition to acquiring DeMar DeRozan in a blockbuster deal, Karnisovas and the Bulls front office also acquired Nikola Vucevic and Lonzo Ball.
While there was apprehension from fans given the fact that both Zach LaVine and DeMar DeRozan are two ball-dominant players, the addition of Lonzo Ball, a selfless playmaker and talented shooter, and Nikola Vucevic, an offensive-minded big man, were intriguing.
When Ball was healthy, the Bulls were able to go on an impressive run that briefly had the team looking like postseason contenders. Then, Ball went down with an injury, resulting in the Bulls offense hitting a lull in production.
Now, with Josh Giddey on the roster, Ball set to return to action this year, and DeRozan off in Sacramento, LaVine will have a chance to once again ramp up his production.
Prior to the arrival of DeRozan, Zach LaVine averaged a career-high 27.4 points per game in the 2020-21 season on a career-high 50.7% from the field and 41.9% from downtown. At the same time, he also averaged a career-high 4.9 assists per game. Since then, LaVine has yet to crack 25 ppg.
With a facilitating guard in Josh Giddey, and the return of Lonzo Ball, LaVine will have a chance to be the focal piece of the Chicago Bulls' offense once again. Only this time, he will do so with a strong supporting cast of developing young standouts such as Coby White, who proved last season that he has what it takes to compete with the best of the best.
With a chance to be the team's primary scorer again, LaVine could be the veteran Chicago needs to support its young core. This will not only be a valuable opportunity for LaVine to reclaim the spotlight but also play up his trade value.
Currently, there isn't much of a market for the offensive guard, and if the Chicago Bulls were to try and force his contract off the books, the team would likely have to do so while attaching valuable assets to the trade, like players or picks. Considering Chicago parted ways with a slew of picks to acquire DeRozan and Vucevic, attaching assets to trade LaVine now is a high-risk move without much foresight for the future.
By giving him a chance to not only return to his previous production this season but also play up his trade value, keeping LaVine could be a move that pays dividends down the line. If he plays up to his $43 million contract value for this season, Chicago can chalk the situation up as a win.
If he plays well, allowing Karnisovas and Eversley to acquire valuable assets, Chicago would be able to move forward knowing that LaVine wasn't traded just for the sake of doing so.
At the same time, with the Bulls' roster getting younger, both LaVine and Vucevic will be able to provide some veteran leadership.
In the case of Zach LaVine, his mentorship could be incredibly valuable for 2024 first-round pick Matas Buzelis, who is viewed as a talented offensive player. Much like LaVine, the appeal in drafting Buzelis is his offensive skillset, something that LaVine could help him develop at an NBA level.
Similarly, in the case of veteran big man Nikola Vucevic, with the departure of Andre Drummond, his services as a starting center will be more valuable than before. Given the lack of available big men, Vucevic's experience, and his current contract, keeping him seems like a smart decision.
For a $20 million per year player, Vucevic is a consistent double-double player, who has averaged more than 15+ points and 10+ rebounds per game every year since the 2018-19 season.
Much like LaVine, Vucevic could provide veteran leadership for Chicago, as well as a mentor for both Jalen Smith, who was acquired this offseason via free agency, and undrafted G League standout Adama Sanogo, who dominated this year's Summer League slate.
Although the Chicago Bulls had sights set on trading Zach LaVine this summer, given the market, and the team's current roster, both he and Nikola Vucevic could be the veterans the team needs as the young core continues to develop and prepares to step into the spotlight.