NBA LeBron James #6 of the Los Angeles Lakers looks on against the Chicago Bulls during the first half at United Center on March 29, 2023 in Chicago, Illinois. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)
Regardless of a powerful NBA offseason, the Los Angeles Lakers haven’t had a terrific begin to the 2023–24 season. To this point, they’re 5-5 and are lucky to be .500 after they managed to tug out a number of shut video games.
That lackluster begin has led to issues that the Lakers aren’t constructed for one more deep playoff run. Furthermore, with rumors that groups are watching and ready to see if the Chicago Bulls will start a teardown, the Lakers names have unsurprisingly come up as doable commerce companions.
NBA Rumors: The Lakers are linked to Chicago Bulls star Zach LaVine.
The Lakers have few remaining commerce property however have been speculated as a doable touchdown spot for Bulls star Zach LaVine. LaVine would positively assist the Lakers, although he has a large contract that wouldn’t be straightforward to commerce for. Thankfully for the Lakers, they correctly signed contracts this previous summer time that will make it simpler to match salaries in a deal for a star.
The most certainly choice can be D’Angelo Russell, Rui Hachimura, and Taurean Prince, whose mixed salaries would get them inside $3 million of LaVine’s wage for this season. That might no less than make a deal doable, with the Lakers additionally having the ability to provide a 2028 or 2029 first and one or two decide swaps in 2026 and 2028.
Would a Hachimura, Russell, Prince, a first-round decide (top-5 protected in 2028 and 2029) and a decide swap bundle be sufficient for them to accumulate LaVine? Presumably. Whereas LaVine is a desired participant, he’s owed $178 million over the following 4 seasons, making him a “nice player-bad contract” kind of star.
If the Bulls resolve to make their finest gamers out there and rebuild, then offloading LaVine’s contract and receiving a number of respectable gamers and good picks could also be an interesting choice. In the meantime, the Lakers would enhance their possibilities of making it again to the Western Convention Finals and presumably even the NBA Finals.
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