Why Zach LaVine doesn't make sense for the Nuggets

The Nuggets reportedly have interest in acquiring Bulls guard Zach LaVine ahead of the Feb. 6 deadline. 

According to The Athletic, Denver seeks help from a player who can "create offense with the ball in his hands" and relieve Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray of excessive ball-handling duties. 

On paper, LaVine fits that criteria with his ability to create for himself and others. However, the Nuggets would be making a catastrophic mistake if they replaced Michael Porter Jr. with LaVine.

For one, they'd be replacing a 6-foot-10 wing for a 6-foot-5 guard with suspect defense. LaVine is one of the worst defensive players in the league. This season, he ranks 223rd in defensive win shares (00.60) and 398th in defensive rating. With LaVine on the floor, the Bulls give up 115.2 points per 100 possessions. The veteran guard is also one of the worst transition defenders in the NBA, with the Bulls giving up 12.3 fast-break points in the 33.2 minutes he's on the court.

Another major issue in terms of basketball fit is LaVine's inability to excel off the ball. He averages 3.2 shots off catch-and-shoot attempts per night and has made only 46 assisted threes out of 196 field goals. These numbers suggest a player who prefers to get his own shots and can't score within the flow of an offense. 

Furthermore, LaVine is 31-of-74 on jump shots (41%) and 4-of-13 on transition jumpers. The latter metric suggests he can't be relied upon to finish a fast break with a three — one of the most deflating shots in the modern NBA, which the champion Celtics frequently utilize. 

Perhaps the basketball genius Jokic will prove this writer wrong by maximizing LaVine's skillset. But on the surface, it just seems like a poor fit. 

If the Nuggets move on from MPJ, a player like Cameron Johnson would make more sense. Johnson may not have the driving or finishing ability of LaVine, but he averages 7.1 points per game from catch-and-shoot attempts and is a lockdown defender. In Johnson, the Nuggets won't be sacrificing size on the wings.

The Nuggets have been linked to Jimmy Butler and Brandon Ingram as potential Porter Jr. replacements. Overall, those two wings would be better fits than LaVine. 

There's a reason the Bulls have been unsuccessfully trying to offload LaVine's contract for more than two years. The Nuggets would be wise to avoid the bait.