Chicago Bulls: Here’s the issue with trading Zach LaVine

With rumors swirling about NBA teams inquiring about Chicago Bulls guard Zach LaVine, what’s the real issue if he’s traded?

For Chicago Bulls fans, the moment Gar Forman was fired, it seemed as if a new era of basketball was beginning in Chicago. The hirings of executive vice president Arturas Karnisovas and general manager Marc Eversley seemed to give fans new hope in a team that’s been continued to be in the NBA’s cellar over the last few years.

However, a few months after the firing of Forman, the arrow for the Bulls seems to be pointing sideways. Jim Boylen is still here while executive vice president Arturas Karnisovas and general manager Marc Eversley seem to be silent. Add on the rumors about Zach LaVine potentially being moved and things aren’t better.

The issue with the LaVine rumors are simple: Even with a front office change, the Bulls true direction is unknown. Let’s just say the new regime decides to pull the trigger on a LaVine trade, that would mean that the team is heading towards another rebuild.

Unless the new regime believes that they could recoup significant assets by moving LaVine, it’d be best to keep him on the roster. He’s been the Bulls best player since arriving in Chicago during the summer of 2017, he’s averaged 23.3 points per game, easily making him the best player on the Bulls roster.

What the new regime should do with LaVine is simple: Keep him on the roster and try to continue building around him. Let’s be honest about something: The Bulls aren’t a free agent away from competing for an NBA championship and they certainly aren’t an attractive free agent destination. That means they’ll need to continue to develop the talent that’s currently on the roster.

Rumors are just rumors. There may or may not be truth to them. In other words, the rumors about LaVine potentially being moved could just be a smokescreen for something that the revamped front office is planning to do. However, there isn’t any point in moving LaVine since the new front office has continued to remain silent, which could be both a good and bad thing.

Overall, the easiest route to go with the LaVine talk is just to keep one of the more respected leaders and voices of the Bulls locker room on the roster. Trading him could set off a ripple effect would could have tremendous implications once the team eventually resumes play.