Zach LaVine Is Expected To Be The ‘Next Domino To Fall’
The Chicago Bulls front office has the greenlight from ownership to make any moves, including trading away their stars, per Darnell Mayberry from The Athletic. After trading away Lauri Markkanen, who shortly turned into a star, and mortgaging the Bulls’ future by trading for Nikola Vucevic, it’s probably time for Arturas Karnisovas to stop trying to hit the homerun with each move he makes.
Arturas Karnisovas hasn’t proved to Chicago fans he knows how to evaluate talent. In his first draft since taking over as the Vice President of Basketball Operations for the Chicago Bulls, he drafted Patrick Williams over Tyrese Haliburton. Williams was a sixth man in college who could not land a starting position, while Haliburton was an NCAA standout. Karnisovas decided to hit the home run, and that pick was just the start of a chain of bad decisions made by the front office.
Why Should the Bulls Trade Zach LaVine
The last time the Bulls traded away a star, it blew up in their face a few years later. That star was Jimmy Butler, and his multiple trips to the NBA Finals was the trade blowing up in the franchise’s face. That said, LaVine’s current value could not only land them a young star with several draft picks, but it frees up cap space, allowing the Bulls to restructure their team correctly this time. LaVine is an excellent player on a ready-to-win team like the New York Knicks or the Portland Trailblazers, where a 1-2 puncis h already set in place. He could contribute to a good team and help them reach the next level. However, he’s in no position to be the top dog like he is in Chicago. Unless the Bulls can find themselves in the Damien Lillard or Paul George sweepstakes, which then makes LaVine the second or third option, there’s no point in keeping him until his value is diminished.
Why Should The Bulls Keep Zach LaVine
They shouldn’t. It’s that simple. He has one trip to the playoffs, which ended in five games. He has injury concerns. His salary is handicapping the Bulls. There is no list of reasons why he should be on the roster.