Bulls Rumors: Chicago, please don’t team Zach LaVine with LeBron James

Excuse me if I vomit: I just heard the trade rumor linking the Chicago Bulls’ Zach LaVine to the Los Angeles Lakers and LeBron James.

In a town where the McCaskeys and Jerry Reinsdorf will likely either live forever or be replaced by replica artificial intelligence versions of themselves, it is hard enough to be optimistic without hearing these kinds of rumors.

That’s why it makes perfect sense that Artūras Karnišovas and Marc Eversley (known collectively as AKME) are capable of pulling the trigger on the NBA trade equivalent of doomsday for Chicago.

I’m begging you, Chicago Bulls: Don’t.

The idea of the Chicago Bulls trading Zach LaVine to the Los Angeles Lakers to team up with LeBron James makes me sick.

I know we’re talking about a trade, but for a moment, let’s set aside what that trade would involve. Set aside the assets gained, and set aside whatever the Lakers offer. Could you stomach this in itself?

I know I can’t.

LeBron James is infamous for what he’s done to torch the Chicago Bulls during his career, whether it be on or off the court.

From infamously considering the Bulls as runners-up during the Decision to officially kill the Derrick Rose era, LeBron James has ironically become the anti-Michael Jordan while attempting to surpass the greatness of Michael Jordan himself.

Whereas Michael Jordan stands for the greatness of Chicago, LeBron James stands for dismantling it. Whereas Michael Jordan stands for tough competition, LeBron James stands for softening it. Whereas Michael Jordan stands for beating the best, LeBron James stands for joining them.

No matter how you slice it, LeBron James and his career have been a detriment to the city of Chicago and an insult to Michael Jordan’s legacy to boot.

So why should we stand idly by as willing trade partners while LeBron James cherry-picks top talent to build another championship-level team for – not the fifth time, not the sixth time, not the seventh time…

You get the point.

Don’t get it twisted; I know I’m writing about LeBron James as if he’s the General Manager. That’s because he is. Rob Pelinka, at this point, is only GM by title. He moves as his cash cow moves.

Perhaps that’s good business sense in the modern NBA landscape, but that doesn’t mean the Chicago Bulls need to be a part of it. They don’t need to make Zach LaVine a part of it.

While he may be a polarizing figure around Bulls Nation, it’s no secret how I feel about Zach LaVine.

It’s easy to forget what he’s put up with and persevered through during his Bulls tenure. Sure, we’ve paid the man, but it’s hard to argue that he hasn’t earned it. After all, only Coby White was on the team with him during the infamous run of Jim Boylen, Bulls head coach.

Was he paid like an Alpha? Yes, but that’s his rate in today’s NBA. Is he an Alpha? No, but that’s a different question entirely. It’s not fair to blame Zach LaVine for the failure of AKME.

Here are some irrefutable facts. Zach LaVine, if allowed to finish this season on this roster with comparable numbers to last season, will go down as the greatest 3-point shooter in Chicago Bulls history. He would also surpass Luol Deng to become the fourth-best scorer in Bulls history.

We’re talking about a player who will be debated in the future, whether fans like it or not, as the greatest scorer not named Michael Jordan in Chicago Bulls history.

So why on God’s green Earth would we allow that player to join forces with the anti-Jordan to potentially further disgrace the name of competition? Maybe they don’t win a ring, but why risk it?

If Zach LaVine’s tenure with the Chicago Bulls must come to an end this way, trade him anywhere else.

I fully support the trade going to a contender as a sign of respect to LaVine’s career here in Chicago, but that doesn’t mean it has to be the Los Angeles Lakers.

That doesn’t mean we have to watch Zach LaVine team up with LeBron James.