The Lakers have been linked to Bulls guard Zach LaVine in trade rumors, but they may want to stay away. At least, that’s the opinion of ESPN front office insider Bobby Marks.
Not that Marks has anything against LaVine, clearly a fine player. But you do have to wonder about his fit in LA, as well as the cost it might take to get him in a trade.
“There will be calls for the Lakers to trade for LaVine, which would be ill-advised considering it would cost three to four players (possibly Austin Reaves),” Marks wrote in an insider-only piece. “Los Angeles could find itself in the same position it was in with Russell Westbrook — an unbalanced roster with three players earning more than $150 million combined per season. The Lakers can trade only one first-round pick (2029 or 2030) and outside of Reaves, have only D’Angelo Russell, Rui Hachimura and Gabe Vincent earning more than $10 million.”
Added ESPN’s Brian Windhorst: “The Lakers don’t want to have to make a big move, they prefer to retain their depth and the one last first-rounder they’re allowed to trade. They sure don’t want to trade Reaves and his good contract or trade three players for one like they did with Westbrook.
“They believe in the formula they have, which is a cadre of long defenders supporting future Hall of Famers. Yes, they can’t shoot and it’s a problem. Yes, their defense has fallen off and it’s a problem. But if they end up doing something significant, it will probably be kicking and screaming. Keep that in mind when evaluating your visits to the trade machine.”
LaVine is said to be widely available ahead of the Feb. 8 trade deadline. But whether the Bulls can trade him remains to be seen. It won’t be easy, that’s for sure.
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