Zach LaVine has been one of the most talked about players on the NBA trade market for well over a year.
The Chicago Bulls front office was the first to get the ball rolling, as rumors emerged that they would be willing to move LaVine only months after signing him to a max contract. To little surprise, this led to plenty of internal and external drama, especially as the organization repeatedly failed to play winning basketball.
LaVine’s camp eventually made their trade desires known early in the 2023-24 season. While the two-time All-Star didn’t request a trade, a report surfaced that his camp was open to exploring deals. Trade talks would swirl over the next couple of months, but LaVine’s injury-riddled season that ended with foot surgery in February halted any dialogue.
Fast forward to today, and LaVine looks rejuvenated. The guard told reporters at Media Day that he turned a new leaf and was ready to leave the past in the past. He has followed up those words by playing the best basketball of his career and acting like nothing short of a true professional. The 29-year-old has never looked happier, and I suppose that’s why he is no longer all that interested in finding a new home.
According to Jake Fischer of The Stein Line, Zach LaVine wants to finish out the year in Chicago:
Sources tellย The Stein Lineย that LaVine, who has put himself in contention for a third career All-Star selection with his strong play for the Bulls thus far this season, would prefer to remain in Chicago beyond the Feb. 6 deadline.
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Zach LaVine is Happy in Chicago
Once again, let’s remember that Zach LaVine never asked for a trade. He could have taken the path that many Klutch clients have in the past and put real pressure on the Bulls’ front office. The fact he didn’t always said something about a desire to remain in Chicago.
Nonetheless, I don’t think anyone would have blamed him for remaining open to a change of scenery. The Bulls continue to look like a Play-In Tournament team at best with no real sense of direction. Reports have suggested that the front office is FINALLY ready to act as sellers at this year’s deadline and put the organization in a position to keep their Top 10 protected first-round pick. With the way LaVine is playing, he deserves to be winning games … not riding the tank.
Loyalty has always been an admirable trait for LaVine, though. Through years of organizational dysfunction, he has largely acted committed to helping bring better days to Chicago. We also shouldn’t overlook just how difficult a trade can be on a personal level. LaVine is a father of two and has strong roots in Chicago after years of suiting up for the city. The fact he may not want to pack up and move his family mid-season isn’t all that hard to believe.
If anything, finding a trade in the offseason is oftentimes easier for everyone. And perhaps this is something LaVine would be more comfortable with. Not only could he have potentially more landing spots emerge, but the Bulls could potentially use that to bolster his market even more. LaVine would also have one more full year off his contract, which we all know has been the biggest deterrent for some.
Regardless, it doesn’t sound like LaVine’s contentment with being in Chicago will significantly impact how the Bulls approach the next couple of weeks. Fischer went on to stress that rival teams continue to hear the Bulls are open for business and that LaVine is very much on the block:
“In LaVine’s case, sources say, he has not been pushing to be moved. Yet that, to be clear, won’t necessarily insulate LaVine from being dealt if an offer Chicago likes surfaces in the next 13 days,” Fischer wrote.
With how well LaVine is playing this season, I have to imagine we will continue to hear his name come up ahead of Feb. 6. There are plenty of contenders who could view his highly efficient scoring as a difference-maker come playoff time. Still, making a trade work will not be easy when we factor in the finances, so it may still be more likely than not that Zach LaVine gets his wish and rides one more full Bulls season into the cloud-covered sunset.