“League gossip” at the NBA Draft Combine in Chicago this week indicates that Zach LaVine returning to the Bulls as an unrestricted free agent this summer is no longer considered a foregone conclusion like it once was, writes K.C. Johnson of NBC Sports Chicago. The two-time All-Star has been linked to the Lakers, Trail Blazers, Mavericks and Hawks at the combine, with more suitors likely to follow, according to Johnson.
Marc Stein has heard similarly, writing in his latest Substack article that “there is much more hope in circulation than anticipated” that the star wing might be convinced to join a rival team in free agency.
The 27-year-old is expected to undergo a relatively minor knee scope early next week, but that won’t diminish interest in LaVine’s free agency, Johnson relays. Some rival executives think Chicago might be reluctant to offer LaVine a full max contract. The Bulls can give him 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 have expressed a public desire to retain LaVine long-term, and he said he was pleased with the moves the team made last offseason (separate sign-and-trades for Lonzo Ball and DeMar DeRozan, and signing Alex Caruso), which helped the club reach the playoffs for the first time since 2016/17.
“It just shows that they (the Bulls front office) were ready to win. Obviously my first couple of years here it was tough to have that feeling. This year has been incredible,” LaVine said in late April, per Johnson. “You’ve got to take everything into consideration. And obviously the team we have here is something you’ve got to consider, how good that we were this last year and moving forward.”
The Lakers, Mavs and Hawks don’t currently have the cap space to sign LaVine outright — they’d have to pull off a sign-and-trade to acquire him, which is much more complicated. And while the Blazers technically can create enough room to sign him, they’d have to execute several moves first.
Ultimately, Johnson believes a return to the Bulls is still the most likely outcome — assuming that’s what LaVine wants.
Yawn ……… slow day.
LaVine is a FA. Deserves the time to look at other teams. He’s not going anywhere. Unless he truly wants to. And he’s shown no sign of this.
There are real stories at draft combine. Please do your jobs and find some.
There are better stories, but sources won’t be giving things away. They’re not sitting around their offices, bored, ready to chat.
I like hearing what they are talking about!
The assumption among pros that the Bulls will go 5/$212m has always been doubted on this board, where there has been long-time skepticism of him.
And “this board” has proven to be wrong about the Bulls for well over a year now.
It’s the draft combine. There are 60 players about to be drafted. I’d say there are plenty of stories out there. I’m sure there are players we don’t know enough about. LaVine will have all off season to create a buzz. Let’s get stories about what you are there for Draft Combine.
I’m saying it. Morey is going to go hard after LaVine in S&T. Not saying he will be a sixers but Morey will go hard after him
Thybulle, Harris and a future 1st gets it done.
@ampett No argument from me
Hard no from me.i like thybulle…yes,i really like a player who can defend. Harris is overpaid player. That pick wont be lottery pick…imposible sixers out from top 4 except jojo get injury for full 1 seasson.
Why would the bulls want Harris and his 2 yrs and close to 80 million dollars. If I’m the bulls I have to have maxey in any day for Zach
That’s cool then just lose Zach for nothing then. That’s kind of how sign and trades work
That only works if Zach is INSISTENT on going to one team, Philly. I HIGHLY doubt Philly would be his top choice, or even any choice.
Also, Philly would HAVE to find a suitor for the worst contract in basketball, Tobias Harris, if they want to sign LaVine or any other max free agent. I don’t see any teams taking that contract on, regardless of the situation.
That’s kind of how cap space works.
Thybulle’s value just plummeted this offseason – Harris’s contract is a negative value.
Only way this happens is if Harden declines his option and Morey threatens to move Harris to OKC’s cap space to create the cap room to sign LaVine outright, forcing Chicago’s hand.
NoSir not dumping Harris on us
Never pay B or C level players max money. It’s the fastest way to paralyze your franchise.
Sixers …..
Tobias Harris — (2022/23) 37.6 million
James Har en — (2022/23) 47.3 million
lmaooo
Can still cripple yourself paying a lot of aging players less than max.
$85 million for two declining former All Stars,
or $88 million for six guys leading a franchise to Cancun:
Randle, Fournier, Rose, Burks, Noel, Walker.
I would say either is a poor way to building a winning team but which is the least horrible starting point?
I like Tobias frankly.
But all the guys U mentioned are on one yr contracts except Randle. So we can redo this this yr if we want to. And Randle I’d give him away. Sixers are not fixing this that easy. Unfortunately
Sign and trade
You need Bulls to help you.
If they don’t want to help anyone, then ….
Lakers dump salary of Westbrook, Tucker and Nun and then sign Zack Lavine as a free agent.
And
Lakers don’t have to pay luxury tax.
Why not!
Suddenly Lakers are the championship team.
Recently, LaVar Ball (via Lonzo Ball) made an appearance on David Kaplan’s show, and he had a lot of interesting things to say.
Ball alluded to the fact the LaVine will join the Lakers as a free agent.
Bulls guard Lonzo Ball knows Zach LaVine.
Lavar has been wrong a million times before. What’s one more L on the pile.
It’s almost literally impossible for LaVine to get to the Lakers. It IS literally impossible without them moving one of their max contracts for nothing. Which in the case of Russ is impossible. If they want to move Bron or AD, yeah, that could work. AD in Chi-town would be fun and he’d fit real nice.
Sign and trade him bulls..maybe to the hawk for john collins.
More like Kevin Huerter
I been saying since before the all-star break that Zach was probably leaving in free agency & it continues to look pretty obvious that he will. He got his #1 spot on the team taken by Demar which had to hurt his pride. And even tho the team was much improved & he finally made the playoffs they were handled easily & don’t have a particularly bright future. If Chi offers him the max that would def be hard to turn down but this is a West coast kid that’s most likely returning to his roots
I dont think the Bulls need that much, if they can mostly retain everyone. They need a backup big that can defend pick and roll and protect the rim, an option they could go to as a small ball 5 in certain matchups, and potentially an option at the 4 that can shoot it, although with Patrick Williams back, they’re mostly covered with that
I also think they did a good job of building a team that can hide Lavine’s deficiencies, so he should try to consider that as well, b/c his value went up a lot b/c of those wing defenders they added and guard defense around him
Bulls as presently constructed won’t be favored in any potential future East playoff matchups. Derozan/LaVine/Vucevic are all obv very talented scorers but they aren’t a good fit as a big3. They’re a good team when Zo is healthy but I mean he’s yet to make it thru a full season & his future is lookin murky rn tbh. There’s also the lack of depth that you sorta brought up. They definitely have to hit on this late 1st rd pick (can’t have no more Valentine’s & Hutchison’s) bc they don’t have a pick next yr
I know for fact he has never had his pride hurt with Demar. Its the opposite. He loved Demar’s success on the Bulls and felt it only made him stronger.
Right lol
He’d fit nicely in Portland, which seems to be the only team with space of those rumored here.
Freakin Lakers always thinking they can get top talent to come for peanuts, or pretending they’ll get value for Brick, lolz. Get outa here with that
Doubt he takes 55 million less to play in Portland, they would need to do a S&T as well.
I doubt offer the full 5/$212m or so.
Blazers already have two offensive-minded guards, both smaller than Lavine, and three 3 types in Hart, Winslow & Little. They need bigs more. I doubt they go far in keeping Nurkic. 6-9 Sochan is their most likely pick but he could take time.
Maybe they let RFA Simons leave, or risk it, given a new GM. Regardless, Blazers will wait see the market valuation, which could vary widely— Simons keeps improving but is not durable or physical. Lillard+Lavine does make more sense than Lillard+Simons.
Blazers do want to recover fast, but are not poised to do so. Lavine is always making noises about how much he wants to win like he’s the only one. Now he will have to choose, money or wins!
Given Brunson’s performance in the playoffs, would a S/T of him + Dinwiddie + picks + salary filler (depending on Brunson’s #) be palatable to Chicago, assuming LaVine gives the nod and says he doesn’t want to be in Chicago?
With THJ returning Dallas could afford to give up both and then run it back with Luka + THJ + DFS + LaVine + Kleiber/Powell/Bullock as a core
This one is better option rather than tobias haris trade.
Yeah that’s reasonable. I think Brunson’s value may if anything be higher than LaVine’s now, so that’s a great outcome for the Bulls. Not sure Dallas can’t find a better sign and trade somewhere though, and LaVine isn’t a great fit. They need size.
Bulls best move is to sign and trade LaVine and just get someone at the PF position…
This story is really solid evidence that LaVine’s camp is concerned that CHI might not offer the 5 year max, and, indirectly, that if CHI offers the 5 year max, he’s a lock to take it, likely before the FA begins. But the other takes on this board are more fun, I’ll concede.