According to recent reports, conversations with the Lakers and the Bulls occurred earlier in the season regarding the star player.
These last two seasons, the Chicago Bulls have been sellers and the Lakers have been buyers during the trade deadline.
The player often mentioned between these two teams in a potential deal is Zach LaVine.
The Lakers were among the franchises whose names were associated with LaVine during free agency in the summer of 2022 and at last year’s trade deadline.
Despite all the chatter, the two teams have not executed a trade together since 2016, when the Lakers acquired José Calderón and two second-round draft picks, while the Bulls received the draft rights for Ater Majok.
However, according to a recent article by Joe Cowley of the Sun-Times, the Lakers and the Bulls discussed a deal that would have sent LaVine to Los Angeles earlier in the season.
The Sun-Times reported last month that there was ‘‘light momentum’’ in trade talks with the Nuggets, but those have stalled. A source also said there was early-season talk about LaVine and the Lakers, but the puzzle pieces didn’t fit at the time. And with the Lakers recently trading guard D’Angelo Russell and his contract to the Nets for forward Dorian Finney-Smith, the puzzle has all but been thrown in the garbage.
There is no question that LaVine is a talented player. He is playing some of the best basketball of his career, averaging 24 points, 4.8 rebounds and 4.4 assists per game.
However, if LaVine exercises his player option for the 2026-27 season, that contract will be for two more years and pay over $94 million.
Also, when you see what LaVine provides as a player, it doesn’t seem to match what the Lakers want. So far, L.A. has gone with more small-ball play and wants players who can switch, defend on-ball and knock down open jumpers.
LaVine can certainly score from deep, averaging a career-high 45% from beyond the arch, but he can’t defend at an elite level.
It seems likely that when the Lakers saw what they’d have to give up to acquire LaVine the math and the projected improvement just didn’t make sense.
With Russell now in Brooklyn and the Lakers acquiring Dorian Finney-Smith and Shake Milton, the odds of a deal that would send LaVine to Los Angeles have all but evaporated.
So, while the Lakers are reportedly “not satisfied” with the current roster, their path toward improvement likely won’t involve LaVine becoming a Laker.
You can follow Edwin on Twitter at @ECreates88.