NEWSLETTER
The Zach LaVine to the Lakers hoopla will never die, will it?
The Chicago Bulls’ max player has long been linked to the marquee franchise. Part of the reason for that has been his West Coast roots. Not only did LaVine grow up in Seattle, Washington, but he also played his college ball at UCLA. As far as we know, he still spends the majority of his offseason in the Los Angeles area.
The other (much larger) reason LA makes sense for LaVine is his Klutch Sports connection. The agency of LeBron James, LaVine chose to leave his prior management for the juggernaut right before he hit unrestricted free agency a couple of seasons ago. Thanks to Rich Paul and Co., he inked his current five-year, $215.0 million deal.
Making a big splash this offseason feels like something the Los Angeles Lakers have to do. The franchise – despite some great play from their two stars – lost their first-round series with the Denver Nuggets in five games. If the plan is to continue competing for championships around an aging LeBron James, adding impact talent is a necessity. And it sure feels like an explosive perimeter scorer could be exactly what they need.
To be sure, we have yet to hear any new rumors linking the two sides. But I think it’s fair to say the speculation is about to begin again! Bronny James had his pro day earlier this week, and I bet you can guess where I’m going with this.
Zach LaVine with Some Lakers
A video posted by Bronny James online featured LaVine dapping up both LeBron James and Anthony Davis at the event. Oh, and it was hosted at the Lakers’ training facility.
Check it out:
Look, this likely means absolutely nothing. All three players share the same agency, so LaVine was probably stopping by to visit with some familiar faces. But it’s also impossible not to read into any encounters that involve LeBron James and Klutch!
Everything always feels extremely calculated with those two. Heck, even JJ Redick is now being considered for the Lakers’ head coaching position after he started a podcast for James! So while we shouldn’t jump to conclusions and expect LaVine to end up a Laker, we probably also shouldn’t feel stunned if the rumors pop back up in the coming weeks.
More on possibly Zach LaVine landing spots …
