The Chicago Bulls have started the 2024-25 season like most expected. The team has some talented pieces, but they were never expected to be anything special. Chicago is in the midst of a rebuild that is taking longer than fans were hoping, but another poor season could help in the long run if it means getting one of the first picks in the NBA Draft.
Bulls fans obviously want to see their team succeed, but at the same time, they are sick of being stuck in this middle ground situation that they are currently in. Chicago has some good players, but they aren’t good enough to make a run in the playoffs. They finish around ninth or tenth in the East which gets them in the play-in tournament, they get bounced early, get a decent draft pick, but not an elite one.
It’s not fun watching your team have a bad year, but that does end up helping in certain situations, and that is why we do see teams tank for draft picks. There are definitely a lot of Bulls fans that want to see that happen this year.
There is another thing that could help the Bulls in the long run. That thing is a trade that involves their star player, Zach LaVine. After a rough 2023-24 season, LaVine is off to a great start this year.
Zach LaVine is off to a strong start
Zach LaVine has been red hot to start this season, and that is big for the Bulls as they could potentially get a good package for him if he were traded. LaVine is the star player in Chicago, and it makes sense for both parties for a trade to happen.
So far on the season, LaVine is averaging 21.7 PPG, 4.4 RPG and 4.2 APG. He has improved his draft stock so far this year, and there are once again a lot of trade rumors surrounding him.
Last season, trade rumors involving Zach LaVine were loud, and it seemed like a certainty that he would be traded before the deadline. However, injuries were a major issue for LaVine last year, and he ended up needing season-ending surgery. That ended the trade discussions, but they resumed in the offseason.
LaVine obviously stayed with the Bulls into this season, but it once again seems like he could be departing soon via a trade. LaVine is by far the highest-paid player on this Bulls team, so Chicago could definitely benefit from trading away their star.
Getting off to a strong start this year has been huge for both Zach LaVine and the Bulls. LaVine has shown that he can still be one of the better players in the league when he stays healthy, and he might be able to find a better fit via a trade to a team that can potentially make a run for the playoffs.
As for the Bulls, LaVine’s strong start is incredibly important as well as they can now get some good talent from trading their highest-paid player. They could’ve gotten some good talent last year as well, but LaVine has seemed to improve his draft stock since then.
We still have a couple months before the NBA trade deadline, but it definitely seems like Zach LaVine could be someone heading to a new team.
