The Chicago Bulls are at a pivotal moment as they consider trading Zach LaVine, who still has three years left on his $138 million contract. With key players like DeMar DeRozan and Alex Caruso already gone, the Bulls are eyeing a full rebuild and freeing up LaVine’s salary would provide the financial flexibility they need to move forward. Currently, the Bulls are in an awkward spot—not bad enough to tank but not good enough to compete.
The Toronto Raptors have been floated as a potential destination for LaVine, with their roster needing more scoring to complement players like Scottie Barnes, Immanuel Quickley, and RJ Barrett. According to Colin Keane from The Sporting News, LaVine could help balance the Raptors’ lineup. In exchange, the Bulls might accept players like Bruce Brown, whose contract is expiring, and Kelly Olynyk.
However, any team interested in LaVine would be taking a gamble due to his hefty contract and injury history. Despite these concerns, when healthy, LaVine remains a valuable asset, averaging 20.5 points, 4.1 rebounds, and 3.9 assists over his 10-year career with the Bulls and Minnesota Timberwolves. Although LaVine could elevate the Raptors‘ performance, questions about his fit, particularly due to his defensive limitations and past injuries, linger. For the Bulls, offloading LaVine’s contract is key to fully embracing their rebuilding process, but finding a trade partner has proven challenging.
