According to NBA reporter K.C. Johnson of NBC Sports Chicago, Chicago Bulls shooting guard Zach LaVine is ahead of schedule in his recovery from foot surgery.
LaVine underwent right foot surgery in February.
A two-time All-Star, LaVine finished this season with averages of 19.5 points, 5.2 rebounds, 3.9 assists, 0.8 steals and 0.3 blocks while shooting 45.2% from the floor, 34.9% from 3 and 85.4% from the free-throw line. He’s making $40.1 million.
LaVine signed a five-year, $215 million contract with the Bulls in July 2022. He’ll make $43 million next season and $45 million in 2025-26.
According to NBA insider Howard Beck of The Ringer, the Bulls “worked hard” to trade LaVine before the guard got hurt. No teams were seriously interested in acquiring LaVine.
Sources told Hoops Wire that LaVine wanted to get traded to the Los Angeles Lakers. LeBron James, Anthony Davis and LaVine have the same agent (Rich Paul of Klutch Sports Group) and LaVine played college basketball at UCLA.
However, the Lakers were not that interested in acquiring LaVine due to the guard’s enormous contract and injury history. LaVine has undergone two knee surgeries and one foot surgery.
According to NBA insiders Sam Amick, Anthony Slater and Jovan Buha of The Athletic, LeBron was in support of the Lakers trading for LaVine.
A Washington native, LaVine has career averages of 20.5 points, 4.1 rebounds, 3.9 assists, 0.9 steals and 0.3 blocks with the Minnesota Timberwolves and Bulls. Most people around the NBA expect Chicago to try to trade LaVine again this summer.
The Detroit Pistons showed some interest in trading for LaVine, who doesn’t have a no-trade clause in his contract. It will be fascinating to see if the Pistons try to acquire LaVine again this offseason.
According to NBA insider Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports, the Bulls tried to trade LaVine to the Atlanta Hawks for Dejounte Murray. They also attempted to trade him to the Houston Rockets for Jalen Green.
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