Bulls Offering New Bait to Teams in Hopes of Trading Zach LaVine

The Chicago Bulls are trying to sweeten the trade package for potential Zach LaVine suitors.
Kamil Krzaczynski-USA TODAY Sports
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The Chicago Bulls have finally kickstarted their rebuild by moving on from Alex Caruso, Andre Drummond, and DeMar DeRozan. The return wasn't what Bulls fans had hoped for due to the fact that the front office waited too long to make these moves. Yet, it's still a good sign to see that GM Arturas Karnisovas at least accepted the reality that this team wasn't good enough to compete.

The elephant in the room, however, remains. Zach LaVine and his albatross of a contract are still on the books and the Bulls are struggling to find him a new home. The latest report from Joe Cowley of the Chicago Sun-Times underlines once again the dire situation the Bulls find themselves in.

"The Bulls still have two-time All-Star Zach LaVine, whom they’re still actively trying to trade, even though his maximum contract and injury history make him a difficult sell. The hope is that the two second-round picks the Bulls got from trading DeRozan can now be attached to a LaVine package."

Joe Cowley, Chicago Sun-Times

The market has completely dried up for LaVine. The teams that could have wanted him like the Sacramento Kings already made their moves. Right now, the only teams with cap space that could take LaVine in without giving up anything of value in return are the Detroit Pistons and the Utah Jazz. It's hard to see either of those teams making a move for him considering where they are as franchises.

Perhaps another team will emerge once they strike out of their top trade targets. Maybe the Lakers or the Clippers would make a desperate trade for LaVine but that likely would not happen until the busy transaction period is fully over.

The fact that the Bulls are attaching picks to LaVine to get out of his contract is a terrible sign for the possibility of a trade. Even if Chicago finds a deal for him, it's clear that it will not be a favorable one.

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