Zach LaVine would be an affordable trade option for the Lakers. According to one anonymous NBA executive who spoke to Dan Woike of the Los Angeles Times, the Lakers could trade for LaVine without giving up their draft capital, and just matching salary. He noted that the Bulls are desperate to move LaVine, and the Lakers can use his massive salary for another trade later down the line.
"Here was the gist of the pitch: LaVine could be gotten by simply matching the money he’s owed, getting the Bulls out from underneath a contract that’s likely going to last until 2027 and cost the team $138 million. That would allow the Lakers to keep their draft assets for a future deal or the inevitable rebuild."
"The executive also said having LaVine’s big contract number in a year or two could be helpful should the Lakers put their future picks into play for a star."
This may actually entice the Lakers, especially considering Lakers GM Rob Pelinka's mindset when completing deals. Pelinka has made it very clear that he wants to protect the franchise's future, and not give up their draft assets and go all-in on winning during LeBron James' stint.
On top of that, being able to use LaVine's contract as a makeweight for a deal later down the line, when they can pair their draft assets and trade for bigger stars. So far, there are a lot of positives with any Zach LaVine deal, but interestingly, we haven't discussed the fit on the court, which is where the problems arise.
Zach LaVine Wouldn't Fit On The Lakers
LaVine is a high-volume, low-efficiency scorer, and he would actually add more problems to the Lakers' roster than he would fix. On top of that, he hasn't proven that he can play without the ball in his hands, and on the Lakers, LeBron James' is trusted with the ball.
Last season, LaVine averaged 19.5 points, 5.2 rebounds, and 3.9 assists. He shot 45.2% from the field, and 34.9% from beyond the arc. It was his lowest scoring average since the 2017-18 season, and his lowest shooting percentage for a season since the 2019-20 NBA season.
LaVine would provide another scoring option for the Lakers, but his inefficiency would be a significant problem. The Lakers already struggle with their efficiency, thanks to players like D'Angelo Russell. But the biggest problem that LaVine would bring to the Lakers would be his lack of defense.
Zach LaVine is a notoriously poor defender and doesn't put in a lot of effort during his games. The Lakers will need better defenders, as their defense has cost them a lot of games in seasons past.
Could the Lakers trade for Zach LaVine? It's possible, but the franchise hasn't shown any interest in the former NBA Dunk Contest champion.
LaVine's agent is Rich Paul, who is also LeBron James' agent, so the King might leverage this relationship to try and bring him to the Lakers. But the Lakers might need to think long and hard about this decision, as it might not work out well for them.
