Official Odds Have Been Revealed For Zach LaVine’s Next Team

For the past three seasons, Zach LaVine has been no stranger to trade rumors in Chicago. His sporadic play, often disgruntled answers in post-game interviews, lack of success on the team, injury history, and lucrative contract have all played a role in why the 28-year-old has been so heavily monitored for movement since 2020. With Milwaukee winning the Damian Lillard sweepstakes and Boston adding Kristaps Porzingis and Jrue Holiday, they’ve set a new bar for Eastern Conference contention. The Miami Heat were left stranded after being the heavy favorite to land both Lillard and Holiday at one point, and having lost key pieces from last year’s conference-winning roster, they’ll need to make a big move to re-insert themselves into the conversation. The same can be said for Philadelphia, who recently parted ways with their 7-time All-NBA guard James Harden and are now left with Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey longing for a third star. Where do sportsbooks see LaVine going, and in what scenario would Chicago ship off their two-time All-Star guard?

Staying In The East

If there’s one commonality about many of LaVine’s trade rumors, he’s staying in the Eastern Conference. The Miami Heat are the leading candidate for LaVine, likely due to missing out on the two best players traded this offseason, sliding them further away from the talent of the Bucks or the Celtics. Closely behind, the Nets, Knicks, and Hawks have the following best odds to land the former UCLA guard. Each of these three teams is in similar situations; they’ll likely be playoff-bound but won’t contend with the talent of the heavy-hitting Bucks, Celtics, 76ers, or Heat at this rate. Every season, a desperate fringe team makes a dramatic move for a trajectory change, and this year, LaVine’s name is plastered on the rumor mill.

Time For Chicago To Move On

With Chicago tracking their sixth losing season in seven years since acquiring Zach LaVine, the experiment is ending. His career-winning percentage in Chicago is 38.7%, and he has one playoff appearance and one lone postseason victory. He’s never been named to the All-NBA teams, has two All-Star selections, and is a top-15 paid player in the NBA in each of the next four years. With DeMar DeRozan’s contract expiring this season, there’s no better time for the Bulls to chalk this trio of underperforming and aging stars and seek value before they’ve all departed or no longer carry weight to opposing teams.

Karnisovas is on an increasingly hot seat this season, and although it would be a franchise-altering move, the fans would embrace a change. If the Bulls are on pace to miss the postseason again, this would mark the third time in four years since Billy Donovan’s arrival that Chicago has failed to reach the playoffs. Karnisovas, LaVine, and Donovan each have one playoff win to boast while in the windy city, at some point, accountability will trinkle down on the leaders of the clubhouse.

Do you see the Bulls making any splash moves at the deadline or entering a full-blown firesale? DeRozan and LaVine could very well end the season in different threads than Chicago’s red and black.