Zach LaVine Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Knicks Notes: Trade Rumors, Towns, Quickley, Grades

December 8th, 2023 at 11:04am CST by Luke Adams

Although the Knicks have conveyed to potential trade partners that they want to acquire a star, they don’t expect one to become available during the 2023/24 season, Fred Katz writes for The Athletic.

Katz, like Ian Begley of SNY.tv, has heard from league sources that New York hasn’t expressed any serious interest in Bulls scorers Zach LaVine and DeMar DeRozan, who are presumably a tier or two below the level of player the Knicks would ideally like to land in any major trade. Sixers center Joel Embiid is one example of the kind of star who would interest New York’s front office, but Philadelphia’s success this season has reduced the likelihood that the Knicks will get a chance to make a play for Embiid anytime soon, Katz notes.

At this time last year, the Knicks had already been in touch with some teams to gauge Immanuel Quickley‘s potential trade value, but things have been quiet so far this season, Katz continues. Still, some people within the Knicks’ front office believe a “too-many-guys situation could be brewing,” sources tell The Athletic, so a consolidation trade at some point this season is a possibility.

Here’s more on the Knicks, including some additional trade-related chatter from Katz:

The Knicks checked in on Karl-Anthony Towns earlier this season, but didn’t make an offer for the Timberwolves big man and haven’t made a “serious run” at him in recent years, Katz writes. Towns has frequently been cited as a possible trade target for the Knicks due to his connections to executives Leon Rose (a former CAA agent) and Gersson Rosas (Minnesota’s former head of basketball operations), but the Wolves are off to a 16-4 start and presumably won’t be looking to make significant roster changes.
Teams around the NBA are curious to see how the Knicks will handle Quickley, who will be a restricted free agent in 2024, says Katz. According to Begley, when Quickley and the Knicks talked about a rookie scale extension prior to the season, the two sides couldn’t agree on the structure of a potential deal. They didn’t discuss incentives, but at least one offer made by New York included a team option on the final season, Begley adds. Just two of the 14 players who signed rookie scale extensions this year – Isaiah Stewart and Cole Anthony – agreed to deals that included team options.
Stefan Bondy of The New York Post (subscription required) hands out his grades for the first quarter of the 2023/24 season, awarding Jalen Brunson an A and giving both Quickley and Julius Randle a B-plus. Josh Hart (C-minus) and Quentin Grimes (D-minus), who have voiced concerns about their respective roles, didn’t fare as well.

New York Notes: LaVine, DeRozan, Bogdanovic, Dinwiddie, DSJ

December 7th, 2023 at 9:17am CST by Arthur Hill

The Knicks are searching for ways to upgrade their roster, but they haven’t engaged in serious trade talks with the Bulls about Zach LaVine, DeMar DeRozan or any other players, sources tell Ian Begley of SNY.tv. New York has been floated as a potential suitor for LaVine and reportedly explored a possible deal with Chicago prior to last season’s deadline. The Bulls are hoping to find a taker for LaVine, but his latest injury setback should cool any interest around the league, at least for a while.

Bojan Bogdanovic has also been a target for the Knicks in the past, but Begley’s sources say Detroit isn’t looking to move him right now. Bogdanovic recently returned from a calf strain, and the Pistons hope he can help snap an 18-game losing streak and get them heading in the right direction before considering any deals.

There’s more from New York City:

Recent frustration expressed by Knicks guards Josh Hart and Quentin Grimes is the result of a poorly constructed roster with too many redundant players, contends Stefan Bondy of The New York Post. Bondy points out that team president Leon Rose created a roster imbalance this summer when he traded power forward Obi Toppin to Indiana for virtually nothing and signed shooting guard Donte DiVincenzo. The move gave New York too many guards and wings, without enough playing time to keep them all satisfied. Grimes is unhappy about losing minutes to DiVincenzo, but Bondy notes that the same situation occurred last year when Evan Fournier was replaced by Grimes. Bondy’s solution is to either move Grimes to the second unit, which would give him more play-making duties, or to balance the roster with a long-rumored trade for another star.
Spencer Dinwiddie has been willing to adapt his role amid heavy injuries to the Nets‘ backcourt, notes Brian Lewis of The New York Post. Ben Simmons, Dennis Smith Jr., Cam Thomas and Lonnie Walker have all missed time already, forcing Dinwiddie to spend more time running the offense, and he has posted one of the best assist-to-turnover ratios in the league. Dinwiddie will be a free agent next summer, and Lewis says there’s a belief in league circles that his next contract could top the $81MM over four years that Hart received from the Knicks.
Smith, who refers to himself as “a savage,” has been showing why the Nets were so determined to add him in free agency, observes CJ Holmes of The New York Daily News. Smith returned Saturday after missing six games with a lower back sprain, adding another level of toughness to Brooklyn’s scrappy lineup.

Zach LaVine To Miss 3-To-4 More Weeks

December 6th, 2023 at 10:37pm CST by Arthur Hill

Bulls guard Zach LaVine will need additional treatment for the inflammation in his right foot, causing him to be sidelined another three to four weeks, the team announced (via Twitter).

The ailment has already kept LaVine out of action since November 28, forcing him to miss the past three games. He has appeared in 18 of Chicago’s 22 games so far, averaging 21.0 points, 4.9 points and 3.4 assists in 35.3 minutes per night.

The latest complications will obviously delay any trade talks involving LaVine, which are reportedly not gaining any traction anyway. Although LaVine is believed to be on board with a potential deal, his pricey contract and history of injuries have severely limited the interest around the league.

The Bulls got off to a terrible start, but have won all three games since LaVine was forced out of the lineup by the foot issue, notes K.C. Johnson of NBC Sports Chicago. He points out that the team has displayed better ball movement and more balanced scoring in LaVine’s absence, posting season highs with 32 assists in wins over Milwaukee and New Orleans and having eight players with at least six points in Wednesday’s victory over Charlotte.

Players had already finished talking to the media when the announcement on LaVine was made, but several of them addressed how things have changed without him, Johnson adds.

“I think it’s given us a lot of confidence. Obviously with Zach out, being the caliber of player he is, it allows for more opportunity. But you can’t replace Zach LaVine,” Coby White said. “We try to do it collectively and try to make up for what he does on the floor.”

LaVine won’t accompany the team to San Antonio for Friday’s game, but he’s expected to speak with reporters on Thursday, according to Johnson, who states that LaVine wasn’t on the bench tonight because he was being evaluated by doctors.

LaVine will miss nine additional games if the injury keeps him sidelined for three more weeks, Johnson adds, and 13 games if he can’t return for four weeks.

Central Notes: Bucks, Giannis, LaVine, Wade

December 6th, 2023 at 7:32pm CST by Arthur Hill

Damian Lillard thought the Bucks should have scored more points Tuesday night, but 146 was enough to get past the Knicks and earn a spot in the in-season tournament semifinals, writes Eric Nehm of The Athletic. Milwaukee’s offense was finally clicking the way most league observers expected when Lillard was acquired from Portland. He contributed 28 points and seven assists in the outburst against one of the league’s top-rated defensive teams.

“I thought this was probably our best offensive game (of the season),” Lillard said. “This could have easily been a 160, 165-point game. That doesn’t mean we’re going to turn into a team that does that every night, but I do think we’ve got that type of explosiveness. We can’t depend on having these types of nights all the time, but it’s … a look at the kind of nights we can have offensively sometimes.”

The Bucks set season highs by hitting 23 three-pointers and shooting 60.5% from beyond the arc. It wasn’t just a hot shooting night, as Nehm points out that many of the three-point attempts were wide-open shots that were set up by drives into the lane.

“I know in training camp, we just kept smiling because it was so easy with our spacing and you’re starting to see it now,” Malik Beasley said. “A lot of guys are getting open shots.”

There’s more from the Central Division:

Giannis Antetokounmpo sprained his left ankle on a tip-in try early in the game, but he was able to keep playing. He doesn’t seem worried that it might affect his status for the Bucks‘ semifinal game, Nehm tweets. “It feels good,” Antetokounmpo said Wednesday. “Obviously, a little bit sore today, but it is what it is. You get some treatment, you sleep a little bit, ice it, elevate it, hopefully it feels better tomorrow.”
There’s no guarantee that Bulls guard Zach LaVine will be traded during the season, K.C. Johnson of NBC Sports Chicago states in a mailbag column. Johnson notes that LaVine’s contract makes an in-season deal difficult, and even though the Lakers have shown some interest, he would be a very expensive third option in L.A. Johnson believes the Bulls are “motivated” to move on from LaVine but might have to wait until the offseason unless the offers improve. The front office is “hesitant” to part with Alex Caruso, Johnson adds.
Cavaliers forward Dean Wade was cleared to return tonight after missing six games with an injured ankle, tweets Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com. Wade is expected to play in a “limited capacity” off the bench.

Central Notes: Bogdanovic, Cunningham, Dosunmu, LaVine, Caruso

December 4th, 2023 at 10:50pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Bojan Bogdanovic is likely to soon regain his starting role with the Pistons, James Edwards III of The Athletic tweets. Bogdanovic, who could be a prime target at the trade deadline, made his season debut on Saturday after recovering from a calf strain and scored a team-high 22 points off the bench.

Pistons head coach Monty Williams said that when the team isn’t playing against two “bruisers” in the opposing lineup, it’s likely Bogdanovic will start at power forward when he gets in a rhythm. Against those bigger teams, Bogdanovic would start at small forward with Isaiah Stewart at power forward.

We have more from the Central Division:

Even in the midst of the Pistons’ franchise-record 17-game losing streak, Cade Cunningham is showing an improved 3-point stroke, according to Edwards. Cunningham has made 35% of his attempts, compared to 31.4% during his rookie season. He has also converted at least half of his 3-point tries in five of the last seven games. “It was more of a legs thing for me,” Cunningham said of his rookie struggles. “I was playing a lot of minutes, a lot of minutes that I had never played in an NBA season before and had to adjust to stepping back to the NBA 3-point line.”
With Zach LaVine sidelined due to a right foot ailment, Ayo Dosunmu has seen a minutes bump and he’s seized the opportunity, K.C. Johnson of NBC Sports Chicago notes. The Bulls have won two straight with Dosunmu averaging 14.5 points, 4.5 assists, and 3.0 rebounds in 36.0 minutes per game while shooting 70.6%. “I think you can see a different player right now than maybe he was a year ago,” coach Billy Donovan said. Dosunmu re-signed with Chicago on a three-year, $21MM deal this offseason.
Speaking of LaVine, Donovan said on Monday the high-scoring wing “a lot better today than he was when he was first diagnosed.” LaVine is rehabbing and doing some individual on-court work. As for Alex Caruso, Donovan said “there’s nothing structurally wrong” with the left toe Caruso injured against New Orleans on Saturday, according to Johnson (Twitter links).

Woj: No Market For Zach LaVine “Right Now”

December 2nd, 2023 at 8:01am CST by Tristan Tucker

There is currently no market league-wide for Bulls star guard Zach LaVine, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski said on NBA Today (Twitter link). This reporting comes less than a month after the news that both LaVine and Chicago were increasingly open to exploring a trade.

“There is not a market for Zach LaVine right now in the NBA,” Wojnarowski said. “That’s not because Chicago has not tried to find it and [they’re] currently trying to find it.”

Wojnarowski goes on to explain opposing teams’ trepidation with potentially acquiring the two-time All-Star, stating that his contract and production are giving teams pause.

“I think the question for teams is, how much does Zach LaVine impact winning?” Wojnarowski said. “Especially with his salary and a new salary cap where you’re asking yourself, ‘Are we trading for our best player? No. Our second-best player? No. So he’s our third-best player, do we want to pay that kind of money?’”

LaVine has $178.1MM and four years remaining on the five-year contract he signed in 2022. At a remaining average annual salary of $44.5MM, LaVine is under contract through at least 2026, with a player option worth roughly $49MM for the 2026/27 season.

Wojnarowski says the Bulls want to get a decent return for one of their top scorers, but explains that in order for Chicago to get what it wants, teams are going to want to see an uptick in LaVine’s production and impact on winning. Through 20 games, the Bulls are 6-14 and LaVine is averaging 21.0 points per game on 44.3% shooting, both of which are his lowest averages since his first year in Chicago in ’17/18. LaVine has 18 appearances this year but is out for at least one week with a foot issue.

Though LaVine has experienced individual success in Chicago, averaging 25.1 PPG and shooting 38.8% from three (7.1 attempts) over the past five seasons, his team has finished with a winning record just once in his 10 seasons in the league. The Bulls were among the top tier of the Eastern Conference for the first half of the ’21/22 season, but after Lonzo Ball and others suffered injuries, LaVine and the Bulls finished at 46-36 and fell in the first round of the playoffs.

The Bulls acquired LaVine alongside Kris Dunn and Lauri Markkanen in 2017 in exchange for Jimmy Butler and Justin Patton. The Bulls are 194-291 since trading for LaVine. He holds career averages of 20.5 points, 4.0 rebounds and 3.9 assists per night.

Of course, as Wojnarowski says, teams are still trying to figure out their identities at this point in the season, and talks will become more substantial across the league when free agents signed in 2023 become trade eligible on Dec. 15 and Jan. 15.

Zach LaVine Out At Least One Week Due To Foot Issue

December 1st, 2023 at 8:12am CST by Luke Adams

Bulls guard Zach LaVine will be sidelined for at least the next week due to right foot soreness, the team announced today (via Twitter).

LaVine initially sat out the Bulls’ game on November 22 due to what was listed on the injury report as right foot soreness, though he referred to it during a media session as a mid-foot sprain. The issue flared up again during Tuesday’s loss to Boston, forcing him out of action for Thursday’s contest vs. Milwaukee.

It sounds like the Bulls want to give LaVine some time to rest and recover so that the issue doesn’t become a recurring one over the course of the season. Based on the timeline announced by the club, he’ll at least miss games vs. New Orleans (on Saturday) and Charlotte (next Wednesday). The Bulls will visit San Antonio next Friday.

LaVine, 28, has averaged 21.0 points per night on .443/.336/.866 shooting in 18 appearances (35.3 MPG) so far this season. The scoring average and field goal percentage represent his lowest marks since the 2017/18 season.

LaVine is one of the NBA’s top trade candidates, so it’s safe to assume teams around the NBA will be keeping a close eye on the status of his right foot in the coming days and weeks.

Pacific Notes: Paul, Brown, Vezenkov, LaVine

November 30th, 2023 at 6:08pm CST by Tristan Tucker

Warriors guard Chris Paul seems to have avoided a major injury. Paul exited Golden State’s Tuesday game against Sacramento in the first quarter due to a lower left leg nerve contusion. He underwent an MRI on Wednesday, according to a team release (Twitter link via Andscape’s Marc J. Spears), and it confirmed his contusion and revealed no structural damage.

While Paul has to miss the Warriors’ next two games, he’s scheduled to be reevaluated on Monday.

Paul is an integral part of the Warriors’ rotation, averaging 8.9 points and 7.3 assists per game in 18 appearances (seven starts) this season. With Gary Payton II also out, Moses Moody and Cory Joseph are most likely to pick up extra minutes during Golden State’s upcoming stretch of games.

We have more from the Pacific Division:

Clippers head coach Tyronn Lue said rookie forward Kobe Brown will be a part of the team’s rotation moving forward, tweets ESPN’s Ohm Youngmisuk. Lue said he wants to give Brown a chance due to his ability to knock down shots and his physicality. Brown is averaging 2.5 points and 1.6 rebounds in eight games this season after being selected with the 30th overall pick in this year’s draft.
Kings forward Sasha Vezenkov had season highs of 13 points and five rebounds during Sacramento’s Wednesday loss to the Clippers, continuing to assert himself into the team’s rotation. According to Eurohoops.net, Vezenkov is still adjusting to the NBA after making the transition from EuroLeague this summer. “It’s like going from the EuroCup to the EuroLeague or from the EuroLeague to the NBA,” Vezenkov said. “It’s hard to adjust, create your comfort zone, learn how the game is played, and earn everyone’s trust. With my work, my character, and my desire to win and help the team, I’m sure everything will be fine.”
Stemming from reports that the Lakers are expected to register some interest in trading for Bulls star guard Zach LaVine, Eric Pincus of Bleacher Report explores whether such a trade makes sense for Los Angeles. Pincus writes that matching the price (LaVine is set to make $40.1MM this season) and taking on his long-term money (he’s under contract through at least 2026) are huge risks for the Lakers. On top of that, L.A.’s biggest issues this year have been injury problems and dealing with opposing centers and LaVine doesn’t address either of those concerns. Pincus reasons that the Lakers should consider trying to trade for Andre Drummond and Alex Caruso rather than for LaVine.

Bulls Notes: LaVine, DeRozan, Donovan, Karnisovas

November 29th, 2023 at 9:50pm CST by Arthur Hill

The Bulls‘ final chance to make a statement in the in-season tournament ended with a 27-point loss at Boston and that wasn’t the extent of the bad news, writes K.C. Johnson of NBC Sports Chicago. Zach LaVine left the game midway through the third quarter with foot soreness, a condition that caused him to miss last Wednesday’s contest at Oklahoma City. DeMar DeRozan also got pulled from the game in the third quarter after getting knocked down on a foul and experiencing pain in his left ankle.

It has been a frustrating season for Chicago, which went 0-4 in the tournament and has now dropped eight of its last nine games. With trade rumors swirling around several players, LaVine said it’s important to focus on each game rather than the bigger picture.

“You go out there and play, man,” said LaVine, who added that he’s “day to day” with the soreness. “You got a lot of season left. You don’t play the scoreboard. You look at the standings, obviously. But you try to win every game you step into and that’s what we’re going to try to do.”

There’s more on the Bulls:

Coach Billy Donovan tried a lineup change on Tuesday, starting Patrick Williams and moving Alex Caruso to the bench to stabilize the second unit, notes Joe Cowley of The Chicago Sun-Times. Donovan continues to search for a spark that will snap the team out of its early-season funk. ‘‘Yeah, I take ownership in this, too, in terms of what I’ve got to do,” he told reporters. “I’m not obviously making the decisions that maybe (president of basketball operations Arturas Karnisovas) is making or Jerry and Michael (Reinsdorf) are making, and I’m not making decisions on the court that the players are making. But what do I have control over? What’s my responsibility? Where can I get better and how can I improve to help? I’m a big believer in you are what your record says you are. I’m not going to sit here and say, ‘Well, we had a couple of tough losses, and we could be .500.’ No, this is what we are, and how can we get better?’’
Blame for the Bulls’ failure should be directed at Karnisovas, who assembled a roster that ranks 26th in offense and 22nd in defense, states Darnell Mayberry of The Athletic. Mayberry argues that Karnisovas should have broken up the core of the team at the February trade deadline and could have done more in free agency than just signing Torrey Craig and Jevon Carter.
This season will be defined more by what Karnisovas can do on the trade market rather than wins and losses, Johnson states in a separate story. League sources tell Johnson that the organization is focused on finding an acceptable trade for LaVine, and Karnisovas is telling teams calling about other players that he wants to see what his roster looks like after a LaVine deal before beginning any of those discussions.

Western Rumors: Rockets, Grizzlies, Jazz, Kings, Brogdon

November 29th, 2023 at 4:00pm CST by Luke Adams

After making several significant changes to their roster during the 2023 offseason, the Rockets figure to remain active on the trade market during the season. League sources tell Michael Scotto of HoopsHype that Houston has interest in pursuing further roster upgrades, with Victor Oladipo, Jock Landale, Jeff Green, and draft picks among the team’s potential trade chips.

None of those three players are owed guaranteed money beyond 2023/24 and all are being paid between $8-10MM this season, making them logical salary-matching pieces. Forward Jae’Sean Tate has also generated exploratory interest from playoff-caliber clubs in recent years, according to Scotto, who adds that Reggie Bullock also had several suitors before signing with Houston, making him a name to watch too.

One player we shouldn’t expect to end up in Houston? Bulls guard Zach LaVine. Scotto says the Rockets aren’t involved in the LaVine sweepstakes.

Scotto has more trade-related items of interest from around the Western Conference. Here are a few:

Sharpshooter Luke Kennard and forward John Konchar are among the Grizzlies players who are candidates to be dealt before February’s deadline, Scotto writes, identifying the Celtics, Warriors, and Lakers as some of the teams that have “kept tabs” on Konchar.
Rival executives think the Jazz may attempt to stabilize their backcourt by acquiring a veteran point guard, according to Scotto. While rookie Keyonte George has played well, he’s more of a combo guard, Scotto explains, naming Talen Horton-Tucker and Kelly Olynyk as a couple potential trade candidates on Utah’s roster.
Keegan Murray is the Kings player whom potential trade partners would covet most, but Sacramento views the young forward as an important part of its core and would be more inclined to move future first-round picks in any deal for an impact player, per Scotto.
Three executives who spoke to Scotto believe the Trail Blazers could land a protected 2024 first-round pick – or a similar asset – if they decide to trade Malcolm Brogdon this season.