Some executives around the NBA who once viewed Zach LaVine as a lock to re-sign with the Bulls are now less certain about what the All-Star guard will do this offseason, ESPN’s Brian Windhorst said in his latest Hoop Collective podcast.
“Executives in the league kind of thought that Zach LaVine was off the market, was going to stay in Chicago,” Windhorst said. “And they really thought that after Zach, at midseason, got checked out for three or four days in Southern California and he pretty much admitted he probably needed knee surgery. … Executives in the league thought, ‘Well, if the Bulls and Zach are on the same page about him playing on a hurt knee, they must have an understanding that he’s going to get a contract.’
“… Subsequently, as I’ve talked to league executives, there’s now some belief that Zach could be in play, that what a lot of people thought was a foregone conclusion of Zach staying in Chicago – on whatever deal it was going to be – may not be the case.”
As Windhorst explains, much of that uncertainty among league executives stems from comments LaVine made after the season when he discussed his upcoming unrestricted free agency. The 27-year-old said he was looking forward to being a free agent and would be “open-eyed” and “look into everything.” He was also noncommittal when asked if the Bulls were the clubhouse leaders to sign him.
There aren’t a ton of teams that make sense as suitors for LaVine, since only a small handful of clubs will have significant cap space and most of those clubs don’t project to be contenders. However, Windhorst – noting that LaVine is from Seattle – points to the Trail Blazers as one possible wild card to watch.
Theoretically, the Blazers could clear enough cap space to offer LaVine a maximum-salary deal by waiving Josh Hart and Eric Bledsoe (whose salaries aren’t fully guaranteed), renouncing Jusuf Nurkic‘s free agent cap hold, and forfeiting their $20MM+ trade exception, as ESPN’s Bobby Marks stated on The Hoop Collective. Having that path to cap room could also give them leverage to try to negotiate a sign-and-trade deal with Chicago.
“I’m not saying that’s a done deal,” Windhorst said when his ESPN colleague Nick Friedell questioned whether the Blazers would really want to pair LaVine and Damian Lillard. “I’m just saying that as I’ve talked to league executives, when they saw what LaVine said and what they see the Blazers can do, that scenario has popped up.”
While it’s possible that the Blazers or another team will make a play for LaVine this summer, a new deal with the Bulls still seems to me like the most probable outcome. As Sean Highkin of Bleacher Report observes (via Twitter), it may be in the best interest of LaVine’s camp to float potential suitors like Portland in order to ensure that the Bulls offer him a max contract.
Chicago will have the ability to offer LaVine a projected $212.3MM over five years, while any other team would be limited to a max offer of $157.4MM over four years.
The Bulls must, and i think they will, try to bring back their entire core and make a run with a healthy squad.
I don’t see any outside team even offering him the 39 AAV (4/157)
Chi needs to roll up its sleeves and negotiate as hard as they can.
No way I’m maxing here and I doubt they do as well ..
I may be on the low side but Id have severe reservations even offering a 4/120 on the open market
I could see Portland doing it … I mean, if they’re truly trying to “rebuild on the fly” around Dame they have to do something this summer, even if it’s ill-advised and mediocrity-laden
If I was ZVL though – I’d question the merits of taking a (potential) discount to team up with Dame and whoever else they can get around him as opposed to running it back in CHI.
Neither is probably a championship contender, but Chicago probably has a leg up assuming Caruso and Lonzo come back healthy next year
Agreed. With the pieces they already have already, you can add a serviceable rim protector, and a shooter, and give yourself a chance. Portland isn’t in that situation.
I’ve said for months that Portland may have an eye on LaVine. As far as pairing Dame and LaVine it wouldn’t be that much different than McCollum and Dame as in they both function as scorers with secondary playmaking skills. The main difference is that LaVine is 4 years younger and more athletic.
True but Dame and CJ were together when they were four years younger than they are now and the team topped out as a middle of the pack West team (albeit the West was probably tougher then)
If Gobert becomes available I think that *might* be a better option – but even if Utah were interested in a picks based package that trade makes Portland essentially the new Utah, a team that’s about to get blown up, instead of the old Portland, which just got blown up.
TL;DR They should have traded Dame a year and a half ago.
Or traded Mccollum— it took too long before he could shape his own team away from Lillard.
Anyway I doubt Lavine is moving, or getting full max. Klutch would like that tho.
Honestly CJ has been playing better than Zach, I assume Zack is better after surgery (but that’s never guaranteed) so it would have lateral move written all over it.
I surely would not offer over 160 where no one can match. He does have a bad knee.
I was all for the bulls giving LaVine the max but since they got DeRozan it’s just made the situation a little weird.
They were going young and building well Lonzo LaVine Williams then because DeRozan was cheap and they got him and it helped them win but it’s kinda stopped LaVine being that guy.
Idk I think if you invest that much money into a player and a team your then expecting them to compete which they will but they aren’t a real threat to the top teams, they are just good.
That’s why the chatter about AD returning home and LaVine possibly going to LA sounds good. Both injury prone players but AD when healthy is arguably a top 5 player and being a hometown kid that’s even more of a reason to get him. Lonzo DeRozan AD Vuce that sounds more likely to be a real threat. In Lakers land I think they’d be happy to get rid of AD and bring in someone fresh and exciting like LaVine and hope he is less injury riddled.
Just to sort of even the deal out, throw in Patrick Williams and THT. Since the Lakers are giving up the better player they’ll want extra compensation and Williams plays the 4 so him leaving opens up the starting spot for AD and THT also from Chicago returning home is cool.
LaVine and Williams for AD and THT
I’m sure the Lakers would be intrigued by two athletic young players coming to help LeBron. I think Chicago would be more than happy knowing they get a top tier player and become a real threat, giving up the player they weren’t sure of anyway.
You seriously need 28 weeks. Drugs are bad.
The Bulls wouldn’t thrown in Pattrick they value him like a major asset for his potential. You would have a better shot of a straight trade, but I don’t trust AD even more than I don’t trust Zach. Also AD only got that top 5 when healthy talk because he won that chip in the bubble. He has been injured for the better part of two years and it would be a stretch to call him healthy long before that.
Timeline. Williams has potential but bulls are trying to win now. They aren’t building for the future, in 4/5 years when Patty is good DeRozan will be gone.
Yeah but at the bulls also know exactly what they have with Lavine Ball DeRozan and Vuce it’s called a good regular season and a first round exit. At best it’s a second round exit.
Whereas if you get AD your making a risk and it could be worse but it could be better.
If your content on being slightly better than average then sure don’t pull the trigger
Wouldn’t Vuc and Patrick for AD be a more logical risk for the Bulls to take? Lonzo/Caruso/DeRozan/AD/fill in the blank with Coby, Ayo, JaVonte, Simonovic and filler off the bench?
Well LaVine is the one on the outer they don’t want to commit too.
Plus I like the idea of AD and Vuce as the bigs with Derozan, Lonzo then Caruso.
Ayo Coby THT off the bench with some fillers.
AD and Vuce would be a really good big man duo
Great Idea,
LaVine to the Lakers!
LaVine to the Knicks!
With LaVine, Lakers would have a better chance to win Championships.
Nothing more than a Klutch client (Windhorst) making sure a Klutch client (Lavine) gets his max. Wake me up when there’s real news.
Bulls not letting him walk. They are a solid contender with a healthy team. And another big or two. A rim protector would be nice.
Although I think LaVine and Dame is a good mix.
Why would you break up Dame-CJ-Norm just to go all in on Dame-Ant-Lavine? It’s not gonna happen