Chicago Bulls Rumors: 3 Zach LaVine trades to allow a fresh start
By Ryan Heckman
![Chicago Bulls, Zach LaVine (Photo by Alex Goodlett/Getty Images) Chicago Bulls, Zach LaVine (Photo by Alex Goodlett/Getty Images)](https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_fill,w_720,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/shape/cover/sport/7b5a66901a3c0895936c7f77a9a9709de4883a3ac2c12f68ac250fdeeb682913.jpg)
The Chicago Bulls are, in a word, a mess.
Tuesday afternoon, a report surfaced from The Athletic’s Shams Charania stating that the Bulls and star guard Zach LaVine are “not seeing eye-to-eye.”
It’s no surprise to hear a report like this, as the Bulls are simply not a good basketball team and LaVine is having a rough season thus far. It hasn’t been working, although LaVine did get paid. So that worked out for him.
But, if there is truly a rift between LaVine and the team, it begs the question: would the Bulls trade him? Let’s be real, for a minute. The Bulls are going to be stuck for a while, and LaVine’s contract isn’t looking so hot. Maybe a fresh start would be good for he and the Bulls. If the Bulls explored trade options, there are a few that make sense.
Can confirm @JCowleyHoops Tweet that players had strong exchange at halftime of Timberwolves loss, which drew coaches’ attention. Sources said multiple teammates directed frustration at Zach LaVine, and the situation intensified.
— K.C. Johnson (@KCJHoop) December 20, 2022
Zach LaVine trades to give he and the Chicago Bulls a fresh start: The Dallas Mavericks
Luka Doncic has needed another legitimate scorer next to him for quite some time, and guys like Kristaps Porzingis haven’t worked in the past. Spencer Dinwiddie isn’t exactly what the Mavericks have needed next to Luka, either. Should the Mavericks make a move for LaVine, this is what it could take.
In this deal, the Bulls get Dinwiddie along with forward Davis Bertans and guard Frank Ntilikina. Dinwiddie has two years left on his deal, meanwhile Bertans has three. Neither contract is a great one, but neither is horrible for that matter.
Ntilikina, though, has just one year left.
The big part of this deal for the Bulls is of course those two first rounders. One of them is unprotected, and the other one is top-8 protected. Should the trade work out for the Mavericks, the Bulls wouldn’t have to worry about that other pick being protected. They’ll get them both.