Zach LaVine finds himself in a similar position to Blake Griffin back in 2018. Griffin, 28 at the time, signed a five-year max extension in the summer of 2017. A few months later, Griffin was traded to the Detriot Pistons as soon as he was eligible to get traded despite the team claiming he was the centerpiece at the time of the extension. LaVine, 27, signed a five-year max extension last summer and was promised to become the centerpiece as well only to enter trade rumors as he becomes trade eligible.

“The New York Knicks, Los Angeles Lakers, Dallas Mavericks and Miami Heat are all teams that might make a run at trading for LaVine. All four could see LaVine as a player that could help lift them into title contention.” – mICHAEL sCOTTO

Does It Make Sense To Trade LaVine?

Does it make sense to trade Zach LaVine as he enters the prime of his career locked into a five-year deal? If you asked the Clippers how the Blake Griffin trade worked out for them, they’d be happy to tell you with a big smile. Griffin, like LaVine, was dealing with chronic knee issues and the Clippers happened to sell high for a massive haul. When there’s smoke, there’s fire. Any time a name is thrown in trade talks, the team might not be making calls, but they sure are listening to offers. If the Bulls believe they can sell high on LaVine and use the assets to build around DeMar DeRozan or build for the future, it’s worth exploring.

Which Team Is Likely To Make A Deal?

The process of elimination based on realistic assets will take the Lakers out of the conversation. The Lakers don’t want to deal with their 2027 and 2029 picks, nor do the Bulls want to wait that long to cash out. The Knicks have been historically desperate for a franchise player, but the fit of Zach LaVine with Tom Thibodeau sounds like a painful one. The Mavericks are a win-now team with minimal talent surrounding Luka Doncic. With the departure of Jalen Brunson, the Mavericks are desperate for iso-scoring players, which is LaVine’s main talent. The Mavericks could offer a healthy mix of win-now veterans and future draft picks for LaVine, which the Bulls would be happy to accept, considering their poor start to the season.