Grade the trade: Lakers go all-in on big three in Zach LaVine pitch
The Los Angeles Lakers are the epitome of the go-big or go-home mentality. The franchise has routinely pursued the biggest names on the open market, with franchise legends such as Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Wilt Chamberlain, LeBron James, and Shaquille O'Neal all previously playing elsewhere.
That reality has inevitably birthed the annual process of Los Angeles being linked to big names during the offseason—and 2024 has been no different.
One of the biggest names to whom the Lakers have been tied is Chicago Bulls shooting guard Zach LaVine. The two-time All-Star has been included in countless speculation pieces, due in no small part to Chicago's decision to sign-and-trade DeMar DeRozan to the Sacramento Kings.
With DeRozan out of the equation, the Bulls must now decide if LaVine will become the franchise player or if his seven-year tenure with the team has run its course.
In the event that Chicago pursues a trade, the Lakers are likely to be mentioned as a potential destination. LaVine has Southern California ties, having played his lone collegiate season at UCLA, as well as the skill set to fit alongside Anthony Davis and LeBron James.
In a recent trade proposal by Grant Hughes of Bleacher Report, the logistics of a potential LaVine to Los Angeles traded were provided—and the cost would be steep.
The Rumor
While the Lakers are often linked to players without substantial reason, LaVine is an exception to that rule. Reports have surfaced that Los Angeles could be a player in the LaVine sweepstakes, although much has changed between then and now.
In November of 2023, Shams Charania and Darnell Mayberry of The Athletic reported that the Lakers were one of the teams that would be interested in trading for LaVine.
"NBA teams are probing the availability of two-time All-Star guard Zach LaVine, and there’s been increased openness from the Chicago Bulls and LaVine about exploring a trade, league sources said...The Los Angeles Lakers, Miami Heat and Philadelphia 76ers are expected to have a level of interest, league sources said."
It's been nine months since Charania and Mayberry's report, however, which calls the validity of sustained interest into question.
Regardless of how determined Los Angeles is to acquire LaVine at this point, speculation is likely to continue. LaVine is one of the most productive shooting guards in the NBA, and the Lakers have a need for a high-level scorer to take some pressure off of 39-year-old LeBron James.
The question is: What would it cost to acquire LaVine and how worthwhile would that move ultimately be in the long run?