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<\/p>\nAs the Los Angeles Lakers continue to fall while the Chicago Bulls begin to surge with Coby White, the potential Zach LaVine trade is becoming more complex by the day.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
\u201cI think that\u2019s where this is likely headed if it happens: a three- or even four-team deal,\u201d The Athletic\u2019s Jovan Buha wrote in a discussion with his colleague, Bulls beat reporter Darnell Mayberry.<\/p>\n
The Bulls\u2019 front office, according to Mayberry, is still in a win-now mode especially after they have gone 6-3 with White\u2019s stellar play in LaVine\u2019s absence.<\/p>\n
White averaged 25.4 points, 6.8 assists and 6.4 rebounds while shooting a red-hot 48.2% from deep since LaVine got sidelined with right foot inflammation.<\/p>\n
Lakers\u2019 Potential Package<\/strong> \u201cFor LaVine specifically, I think the Lakers would consider a D\u2019Angelo Russell-centric deal, but I don\u2019t think they\u2019d throw in much more than a combination of salary filler (Rui Hachimura and\/or Gabe Vincent), a young prospect (Max Christie or Jalen Hood-Schifino) and a protected pick (2029 or 2030 first rounder). The Lakers would fight to keep Hachimura and Christie, to be clear. But I see that offer on the high end of what they\u2019d be willing to give up. Russell, along with a 2029 or 2030 first-round pick, plus salary fillers is the Laker\u2019s best LaVine package that will not include the Bulls\u2019 preferred target, Austin Reaves,\u201d Buha wrote.<\/p>\n \u201cThe Lakers\u2019 lack of immediate draft capital could be the dealbreaker. But the Bulls don\u2019t have many better options,\u201d Mayberry countered.<\/p>\n Finding the third team to absorb Russell or to flip both Russell and the Lakers\u2019 future pick for a win-now talent for the Bulls makes the trade more complicated to accomplish.<\/p>\n Nearly all teams that are likely to contend for play-in\/playoff spots have solid point guards except for the Phoenix Suns, New Orleans Pelicans and Brooklyn Nets.<\/p>\n Division Rival Looms as Lakers\u2019 Biggest Threat<\/strong> Bleacher Report\u2019s Chris Haynes reported that the Kings, alongside the Lakers, are monitoring LaVine\u2019s situation. In 2018, the Bulls had to match the Kings\u2019 four-year, $78 million offer to LaVine, who was a restricted free agent at that time.<\/p>\n LaVine re-signed with the Bulls two summers ago for a whopping $215 million, five-year max extension.<\/p>\n The Ahletic\u2019s Sam Amick reported that LaVine is amenable to a trade to Sacramento.<\/p>\n \u201cFor all the public focus on the prospect of [LeBron] James and [Anthony] Davis teaming up with LaVine with the Lakers, the overlooked part is that Kings star De\u2019Aaron Fox is a major priority for Klutch Sports these days as well. Per league sources, LaVine would be very amenable to a Sacramento move that would make him Fox\u2019s backcourt mate,\u201d Amick wrote.<\/p>\n Rich Paul Pushes Back on the Lakers Narrative<\/strong> \u201cIt\u2019s not one team,\u201d Paul told Amick, in response to the Lakers rumor. \u201cI don\u2019t have a specific destination for Zach. I want what\u2019s best for Zach and his family. When you have a guy playing the game, you want him to be able to play the game happy, whether that\u2019s in Chicago or somewhere else.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" As the Los Angeles Lakers continue to fall while the Chicago Bulls begin to surge with Coby White, the potential Zach LaVine trade is becoming more complex… <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":73476,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-73472","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-nba"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/aweu.info\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/73472","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/aweu.info\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/aweu.info\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/aweu.info\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/aweu.info\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=73472"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/aweu.info\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/73472\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/aweu.info\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/73476"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/aweu.info\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=73472"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/aweu.info\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=73472"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/aweu.info\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=73472"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
\nWhite\u2019s emergence might give the Bulls a pause in the Lakers\u2019 potential D\u2019Angelo Russell-led package, according to Mayberry.<\/p>\n
\nThe Lakers\u2019 biggest threat at LaVine is their Pacific Division rival Sacramento Kings.<\/p>\n
\nKlutch Sports\u2019 founder Rich Paul vehemently refuted a Chicago Sun-Times report that LaVine\u2019s preferred destination is the Lakers.<\/p>\n