In the way the NBA works, teams are always prepared for multiple eventualities, whether in the Draft, in the trades or in the free agency. And if the conversations in the GM offices dominated, as well as the data entries in the chiefs’ laptops, the video sockets on the scouting team’s servers and the numbers that were crumbling in the analytic boiler room.
So it should come as no surprise that the networks have done due diligence on a number of potential candidates, from “third stars” to non-recruited boys who could adapt to the two-way vacancy. That’s how it goes.
Wednesday Ian Begley writes that both the networks and the Knicks considered Zach LaVine to be a potential commercial target, but this has a big caveat: are the bulls willing to part with LaVine which under normal circumstances would be a building block franchise? In particular with a new responsible GM.
According to SNY sources, both teams have done basic work on LaVine to be prepared for the possibility that Chicago will end up listening to commercial offers on the 25-year-old guard.
It is fair to say that the Bulls, who have a new team president in Arturas Karsinovas, have not yet found a long-term solution on the margins of coaching and have not been successful in surrounding LaVine with talent in recent years. If instability persists, would LaVine try to leave Chicago when it hits the free agency? If so, the Bulls would likely be open to trading it instead of losing it for nothing.
LaVine, 25, is a legitimate star, twice the winner of the Dunk Contest. He averaged 25.5 points, 4.8 rebounds, 4.2 assists and 1.5 steals last season for the Bulls. He hit 38 percent of his 3-point attempts and 49.7 percent of his two-point attempts. He has had injury problems, but they seem to be behind him. He played 60 of the Bulls’ 65 games after losing more than 100 games in the previous three years, mainly due to problems with his ACL.
Are you happy in Chicago? It is difficult to know now that Karnisovas is on board, but two years ago, he accepted an offer sheet from the kings, which the Bulls combined.
That contract would be an investment. He has to pay just under $ 40 million in the next two seasons, with no options for players or teams. Like Bradley Beal, it would require a large offer which should certainly include a young player or players, selection projects etc. Etc. The Knicks with their excess of choices – seven choices in the first round in the next four drafts – could have a better shot if the Bulls really want to rebuild but the nets still have all the usual suspects: Caris LeVert, Jarrett Allen, Spencer Dinwiddie , etc. They will have five firsts in the next four drafts.
There are, of course, other discussions as to whether LaVine would fit better with Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving than LeVert or other potential third stars. More than one expert, led by John Hollinger and Adrian Wojnarowski think that LeVert could be the “third star” with Hollinger who not long ago suggested that the nets have enough offensive firepower and instead should think of adding a first defender line. LaVine does not qualify.
So when can teams start trading again? Teams outside the “bubble” are free to do so now and when the 22 teams leave Orlando, with their seasons over, they too can start to engage. However, the most likely scenario is that the teams will await the draft and the free agency, which are still about three months away. Keep the powder dry.
