Zach LaVine Trade Rumors: Darius Garland Was Eyed by Bulls in Pitch to Cavaliers
It is impossible to say that the Chicago Bulls were trying to trade Zach LaVine for nothing.
In an effort to acquire All-Star players in return for the 28-year-old, the Bulls suggested trading LaVine for Darius Garland to the Cleveland Cavaliers, according to Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports.
Although Fischer did not say how the Cavs responded to Chicago’s offer, the fact that Garland is still with Cleveland suggests that the talks may not have progressed very far.
Furthermore, according to K.C. Johnson of NBC Sports Chicago on Friday, LaVine has not yet received any “shown interest” from the Miami Heat, Philadelphia 76ers, or New York Knicks.
When LaVine is healthy, a player like Garland would help Chicago with a lot of its offensive problems. The 23-year-old is scoring at least 5.9 assists per game for the fourth straight season and more than 20 points per game for the third straight.
Prior to the deadline on February 8, LaVine has been the most frequently mentioned player in trade talks. However, it doesn’t seem like many teams will be eager to make their best offer for him.
The Los Angeles Lakers would be LaVine’s preferred destination, according to Joe Cowley of the Chicago Sun-Times, “because of the Klutch Sports connection.”
In addition to the Lakers, the Toronto Raptors are also thought to be interested in LaVine to some extent.
Chicago has won five of its last seven games—including victories over the Milwaukee Bucks and Miami Heat—while LaVine has been sidelined due to a foot injury, which is probably hurting the team’s trade leverage.
Prior to the trade deadline, the Bulls might be in control, but LaVine is arguably their third-best trade asset.
With a skill set that should appeal to almost every team in the running, Alex Caruso is only making $9.5 million this season, with a $3 million partial guarantee for 2024–25 that grows to a $9.9 million fully guaranteed contract if he is on a roster by June 30.
With a $28.6 million salary, DeMar DeRozan is playing on a contract that is about to expire. With 24 starts this season, he is averaging 22.3 points and 5.3 assists per game.
LaVine has a deal that pays over $40 million per season through 2025–2026. In addition, there is a $49 million player option for 2026–2027. With 18 starts under his belt, he is averaging 21.0 points on 44.3 percent shooting and 3.4 assists per contest.
