These 3 trades involve Zach LaVine leaving the Chicago Bulls

Trade Two: Chicago Bulls send DeMar DeRozan to Phoenix

It might sound crazy, but DeMar DeRozan heading to Phoenix may be a move that benefits both parties should LaVine force the Bulls to hit reset. DeMar is coming off his best season since his Toronto days and his trade value will never be higher. As much as part of me would want the Bulls to keep DeMar around no matter what for his poise and veteran leadership, the potential return they can get would be worth it.

Phoenix, coming off their league-best 64 wins, had a disappointing end to their season capped off by a blowout game 7 loss at the hands of Luka and the Mavericks. Not enough offense was the problem, and with DeAndre Ayton seemingly quitting on the team halfway through, the Suns face a lot of questions this summer.

With the massive extension Chris Paul signed last year, it doesn’t seem likely that the Suns will blow their team up. More likely, they’ll look to move DeAndre Ayton and acquire a piece that can help them win now. With Ayton, a restricted free agent and also eligible for a max deal (on a sign and trade) worth up to 131.1M, a trade between Chicago and Phoenix could benefit both parties.

Once again, being forced to match salaries the Bulls send the Suns DeRozan, Green, and Cook for the 23-year-old, 6’11 big man brimming with potential. Joining a young core in Chicago that Billy Donovan can build up with the right culture could be promising for a young player like Ayton who is still in the infancy of his career.