Chicago Bulls

Chicago Bulls star Zach LaVine is not worried about persistent trade speculation.

The two-time All-Star said Thursday that he focuses on controlling his mood and mindset but not the rampant trade rumors that are "out of my control."

LaVine is averaging 22.3 points, 4.5 rebounds and 4.2 assists in 24 games for the Bulls this season. Despite that solid production, Chicago is 13-15 and may prefer to embrace a rebuild and recoup value for LaVine while he is healthy and playing well.

LaVine's name has been surfacing in trade rumors for years. He's currently being linked to the Denver Nuggets and Los Angeles Lakers. Denver appears to be the most likely destination as the team has reportedly put "significant" focus on him, according to The Athletic.

Chicago Bulls star guard Zach LaVine has long been the subject of trade rumors, but there's reportedly a belief around the NBA that there's a significant roadblock in any potential deal for him.

ESPN's Bobby Marks spoke to one team that said LaVine's contract with the Bulls will likely prevent it and most other teams around the league from pursuing him in a trade.

"If we were operating under the 2017 CBA and there were no apron rules, I could make a case to my owner on LaVine," the team told Marks. "But his salary boxes you into a corner on how we can add to the roster."

Counting the rest of this season, LaVine has three years remaining on the $215 million max contract he signed with the Bulls in 2022. His cap hit for this year is $43 million, and he has a $46 million salary for 2025-26 as well as a $48.9 million player option for the 2026-27 campaign.

Marks pointed out that if LaVine is traded, the Bulls would owe him 15 percent of his remaining salary as a trade bonus, which amounts to $9.4 million. If the bonus isn't waived, LaVine's cap hit for 2025-26 rises to $51 million.

A two-time All-Star, LaVine is off to a strong start for the 11-15 Bulls with averages of 21.7 points, 4.4 rebounds and 4.2 assists while shooting 50.1 percent from the field and a career-high 42.8 percent from three-point range. He's appeared in 23 of Chicago's 26 games after being limited to just 25 appearances in the entirety of 2023-24 due to a foot injury.

While LaVine would be a difference-maker on a contender, it sounds like teams around the league aren't rushing to pry him away from the Bulls.

The Chicago Bulls are amid another decidedly "mid" season and despite the front office's best efforts, they have found no takers for star forward Zach LaVine and center Nikola Vučević, per Tim Bontemps of ESPN.

Perhaps that has something to do with the first-round draft pick NBA insider Marc Stein reported the team covets in return for Vučević.

The 34-year-old is having one of the best years of his career, with 21 points, 9.8 rebounds, and 3.2 assists, while shooting 58.7 percent from the floor and 47.4 percent from beyond the arc.

His age and his struggles on defense are not reflective of a player on whom teams will be willing to haphazardly throw away a first-round draft pick.

The team is trying to recoup draft picks that it did not get in the trade of Alex Caruso to Oklahoma City.

In the process, it is preventing itself from trading a player it wants to trade and, more importantly, is delaying the inevitable rebuild the team should have kicked off a season ago.

LaVine was always going to be difficult to trade, thanks to his history of knee issues and a contract valued at nearly $90 million between now and the end of next season.

But the team could still kick off its latest attempt at a rebuild by shipping out Vučević and getting back what they can for a veteran player who is performing at as high a level as he ever has.

They should be wise about it, though, and not put a king's ransom on him in an attempt to rectify another bad deal by its front office.

The Los Angeles Lakers need a center. They would likely be happy to take Vučević for the right price. That price in no way equates to a first-round draft pick.

The Chicago Bulls are reportedly seeking draft picks in return for one of their veterans.

Per NBA insider Marc Stein, the Bulls are looking for a first-round pick in return for center Nikola Vučević after Chicago failed to get draft picks when it traded Alex Caruso to the Oklahoma City Thunder for Josh Giddey over the offseason.

Vučević could yield a high return given the fantastic start to the season he's had. The 15-year veteran is averaging 21 points on 58.7 percent from the field and 47.4 percent from deep while hauling in 9.8 boards per game, on track for one of the best seasons of his career.

A trade would give Vučević a chance to potentially play for a playoff contender while helping the Bulls build for the future amid an 11-15 start to the year.

Chicago has been somewhat conservative in the trade market over the past few years. The deal that sent Caruso to the Thunder for Giddey was the first time the Bulls had conducted a trade since 2021 when they dealt Lauri Markkanen to the Cleveland Cavaliers in a three-team trade that landed them Derrick Jones Jr.

The Bulls, who have been to the playoffs just twice since 2016, could seemingly change the way they approach trades as they continue their rebuild.

Though Chicago didn't get any picks from the Thunder during the offseason, it owns the Portland Trail Blazers first-round pick in 2025 thanks to the Markkanen deal, which could very well be a lottery pick given Portland's 8-17 start to the season.

Landing another first-round pick in next year's draft could be worth parting with Vučević considering the 2025 draft class, highlighted by Duke star Cooper Flagg, has plenty of talent.

With Zach LaVine in the midst of the best start to a season of his career, the Chicago Bulls still aren't getting a lot of trade interest in the two-time All-Star.

One person close to the situation told ESPNs Brian Windhorst that "nothing has changed" regarding LaVine's status.

The biggest obstacle standing in the way of a deal is LaVine's contract. He is making $43 million this season, $46 million in 2025-26 and has a $49 million player option for 2026-27.

Under the new apron rules that make teams more cognizant of how much money they are spending, paying close to top-of-the-market salaries to a good-not-great player is tough to do.

Windhorst noted last week that there were likely to be fewer deals at the trade deadline because teams are being smarter about the types of deals they are willing to make.

NBA insider Jake Fischer reported in November that the Golden State Warriors internally discussed trading for LaVine last season, but they "do not presently have much interest."

LaVine has certainly helped his value across the league with his start to the season. He's averaging 22.1 points on 50.6 percent shooting, 4.4 rebounds and 4.2 assists per game in 22 starts.

The 22 games LaVine has played nearly matches his total from the 2023-24 season (25). If he can remain healthy and keep playing at this level, there's a chance a playoff contender will take a chance on him in a midseason trade.

As things currently stand, though, LaVine will look to continue helping the Bulls win games. Their 10-15 record entering play on Friday ranks 10th in the Eastern Conference.

Trade interest in Chicago Bulls shooting guard Zach LaVine isn't very high, according to ESPN's Brian Windhorst.

"He's having an excellent year," Windhorst said on the latest episode of The Hoop Collective (12:00 mark). "We know that he's been on the trade block for a year now, at least. Yet, I hear nothing about LaVine on the trade market and I don't think it's because the Bulls aren't interested in trading him."

LaVine's contract is likely contributing to opposing front offices avoiding him in trade talks, as he's set to earn $43 million for the 2024-25 season and $45.6 million during his 2025-26 campaign. The two-time All-Star also has a $48.9 million player option for the 2026-27 season.

HoopsHype's Michael Scotto reported on Dec. 2 that "multiple executives" have deemed Chicago's asking price for LaVine as "too high" in negotiations.

After appearing in just 25 games during a 2023-24 campaign that was marred by foot surgery, the 29-year-old has started the Bulls' current season on a high note.

LaVine is averaging 22.1 points, 4.4 rebounds and 4.2 assists per game while shooting 50.6 percent from the field and 43.2 percent from three-point territory. He's scored at least 30 points in each of Chicago's past two games.

The Bulls sit at 10-15 to begin the year as they've prioritized the development of a young core that features Ayo Dosunmu, Coby White, Josh Giddey and Patrick Williams.

LaVine could generate more buzz once the Feb. 6 trade deadline draws closer, but he doesn't appear to be on the verge of getting dealt by Chicago anytime soon.

The Chicago Bulls have a pair of coveted trade targets in veterans Zach LaVine and Nikola Vučević, but it sounds like teams around the NBA are discouraged about their chances of acquiring either one of them.

Michael Scotto of HoopsHype reported on Monday that "multiple executives who've spoken to the Bulls say Chicago still has asking prices that are 'too high' for LaVine and Vučević, given their contracts."

Both LaVine and Vučević are signed through the 2025-26 season. LaVine is making $43 million this year and $46 million in 2025-26, and he also has a $48.9 million player option for the 2026-27 campaign. Vučević has $41.4 million remaining on his deal for the rest of this season and next year.

At 8-13, the Bulls sit in last place in the Central Division. LaVine leads the team with 22.0 points per game, while Vučević is right behind him with 20.9 points in addition to a team-best 10.0 rebounds. Both players are shooting over 50 percent from the field and over 40 percent from three-point range, so they would undoubtedly be difference-makers on teams hoping to contend for an NBA championship within the next two years.

However, Chicago has proven to be stubborn in recent years regarding its trade decisions. The team held onto combo guard Alex Caruso for multiple seasons despite him being one of the most coveted players at the trade deadline. The Bulls ultimately traded him to the Oklahoma City Thunder this past offseason in exchange for guard Josh Giddey.

At this point, it appears that the Bulls are in need of a rebuild, and the only way to fully commit to it is to trade away its stars to acquire future assets. However, the team will need to adjust its demands if it hopes to complete deals for LaVine and Vučević.

The Chicago Bulls are 8-13 and currently sit 11th in the Eastern Conference, a spot the team almost certainly expected itself to be in after allowing DeMar DeRozan to leave via free agency this past offseason and doing little to improve the roster in his absence.

According to Jake Fischer on The Stein Line, the Bulls are open to trading Zach LaVine, Lonzo Ball, and Nikola Vučević before the deadline, if the right offers come their way. It is essentially a fire sale without outwardly calling it one.

It is also the right decision.

The Bulls have not appeared in an NBA Finals since 1998, the last year of Michael Jordan's Bulls dynasty. They have not even competed in the Eastern Conference Finals since 2011, when hometown star Derrick Rose led the team to a 4-1 series loss to the Miami Heat.

Questionable management and coaching decisions, including roster building, have left the team irrelevant and marred in obscurity. They have not yet been competitive and appear to be wasting the enormous talent of Coby White, whose start to 2024 (32.5 minutes, 18.3 points) is at least comparable to his breakout season a year ago.

LaVine has logged 33.8 minutes, 22 points, 50.9 from the field, and 42.9 from beyond the arc through 18 games in 2024. Ball has only played in five games this season as he continues to struggle with his comeback from a devastating knee injury, tallying 16.8 minutes a game and 4.4 points per game.

Vučević is arguably the most intriguing of the three Bulls stars available.

The veteran center is averaging 32 minutes of floor time, 20.9 points, and 57.7 percent from the paint. His 46.9 percent from downtown is the highest of his career.

Considering the Los Angeles Lakers' search for center help is well-documented, he is a player worth keeping an eye on.

LaVine has been linked to LA on multiple occasions.

Ball is the mystery here as he would almost certainly have to exhibit consistent ability to stay on the court amid his injury history if any team is expected to be interested in the former second overall pick.

Regardless of where those three anchors of this Bulls team go, it would behoove the front office to see what they can get in return and to officially put the reboot in motion. If for no other reason than putting the last few years in the organization's rear view mirror and focusing on building a champion.

Chicago Bulls power forward Patrick Williams has drawn little interest from opposing teams, according to NBA Insider Jake Fischer in The Stein Line.

Fischer reported "few rival executives" have "expressed much interest" in Williams amid the Bulls' 8-12 start to the season.

Williams signed a five-year, $90 million contract with the Bulls before the season, and per Fischer, several teams, including the Charlotte Hornets, Oklahoma City Thunder and Toronto Raptors, were linked to him ahead of his restricted free agency last summer.

As the Feb. 6 NBA trade deadline approaches, Bulls executives have been in contact with several teams regarding potential trades. They are reportedly open to moving most of their roster, including key players like Zach LaVine, Lonzo Ball and Nikola Vučević, according to Fischer.

"Most notably, sources say, Chicago has expressed a desire to move LaVine, Vučević and Ball — who collectively command nearly $85 million in salary this season," Fischer wrote. "The fact they were willing to move DeMar and [Alex] Caruso [this past offseason], they're willing to move anybody [now]."

The 23-year-old Florida State product was selected fourth overall in the 2020 NBA Draft and earned All-Rookie Second Team honors.

In his fourth season with the Bulls, he has averaged 9.9 points per game, 2.3 assists and 5.0 rebounds while shooting 39.4 percent from the three-point line.

Williams appeared in just 43 games last season with the Bulls before undergoing season-ending foot surgery.

This season, he has been dealing with lingering issues from the injury and has not played since Nov. 18 against the Detroit Pistons due to inflammation in his surgically repaired foot, head coach Billy Donovan told reporters.

Chicago holds an 8-12 record and sits 10th in the Eastern Conference. The Bulls have missed the playoffs in each of the last two seasons and six of the past seven.

Chicago Bulls star Nikola Vučević could be worth two second-round picks in a potential trade, a general manager told NBA insider Jake Fischer.

"One GM told me he would put the two-time All-Star's likely price point in a trade at two second-round picks," Fischer wrote.

Vučević is playing this season on a $20 million cap hit. He is signed for one more campaign at $21.5 million before hitting free agency in 2025.

Through 20 starts, Vučević is shooting 57.1 percent from the field and 44.9 from three-point range for an average of 20.4 points per game. If maintained through 82 contests, that would mark the most productive season of his Bulls career.

According to Fischer, the Bulls "have been messaging to rival front offices that they are willing to discuss the majority of their roster in trade talks leading up to the Feb. 6 trade deadline."

In these messages the Bulls have indicated an interest in trading Vučević as well as Zach LaVine and Lonzo Ball, NBA sources told Fischer.

Vučević and Ball, who is a pending unrestricted free agent, are on the most tradable contracts of the group. LaVine, who has reportedly been on the trade block for at least the past season, is signed for at least one more season with a $49 million player option for 2026-27.

Should Bulls general manager Marc Eversley find a way to move this trio, Chicago would have more room to maneuver in a rebuild. The contracts for LaVine and Vučević are currently set to take up more than 43 percent of the team's 2025-26 cap, per Spotrac.

The Bulls sit tenth in the East after opening the season with an 8-12 record. Should the team miss the playoffs, it would mark the seventh time in eight years without a postseason in Chicago.

That streak has left the Bulls ready for a complete turnover of their core. Win-now teams in need of a big man ahead of the Feb. 6 trade deadline will meanwhile be left consider whether they are willing to give up multiple Day 2 picks in order to acquire Vučević.