Ranking each Bulls target the Lakers might trade for this season

3. Zach LaVine

Yes, the biggest name that the Chicago Bulls could trade at the deadline this year is not even one of the two best players that the Lakers could acquire from the team. While Zach LaVine might be the most talented and gifted athletically, there are some serious red flags that Lakers fans must consider.

There is a group of players in the NBA who can put up great offensive numbers that raise their stock higher than what it really is. These players are “good stats, bad teams” guys. They benefit from their team not being very good and having a high usage rate, which elevates their stock as a result.

LaVine is a perfect example of this phenomenon. He undoubtedly has solid offensive numbers but it has always come without any team success. LaVine has made the playoffs just once in his entire career and he was swept. Team success doesn’t mean everything, but only making the playoffs once in nearly a decade, when over half the league makes the playoffs, isn’t a good look.

Also, consider the fact that in seven of LaVine’s nine seasons, his teams had a better net rating when he was off the floor than when he was on the floor. That is right, a $40 million player was actually making his team statistically worse when he was out there.

LaVine is expensive, would cost the most, would hinder the Lakers in the future, and is not the kind of star a team should be committing multiple years to. Los Angeles should let another team learn all these lessons.