After a 3-0 start to the 2024-25 season, the Los Angeles Lakers have since gone 3-4 as they sit sixth in the Western Conference. Though the Purple and Gold have shown flashes of being a championship-caliber team, there is still a way to go before Los Angeles can be a city of champions once again.
Since acquiring Anthony Davis in a blockbuster trade in 2019, the Lakers have yet to make any splashes via trade or in free agency. On paper, they are one of the best teams in the league, but games aren’t won on paper. The reality of the situation is that the Lakers have an aging LeBron James, a first-year head coach, and a group that has fallen short year after year.
Lakers Rumored To Be In On Zach LaVine Trade
If the Lakers want to be able to compete with the powerhouses of the NBA, an aggressive move to trade for a third All-Star should be highly sought after. One player that continues to be linked to the Lakers is Chicago Bulls shooting guard Zach LaVine.
According to ESPN’s Jamal Collier, the Bulls are “expected to explore trade options” for the two-time All-Star.
LaVine is known for his high-flying abilities and his play above the rim, but the 29-year-old has expanded his game much further than that. LaVine has developed into one of the best-scoring guards in the Association and has done it at a very efficient clip.
This season, LaVine is averaging 22.0 points, 5.0 rebounds and 3.3 assists all while shooting 50.5 percent from the floor and 43.4 percent from three (career-best). If the former 13th-overall pick continues this pace, it will mark his sixth season averaging at least 20 points per game.
The talent is not in question, LaVine remains a top-two guard but seems as though his and the Bulls’ timeline has not meshed. LaVine is in the prime of his career and the Bulls are rebuilding their franchise with a young core. Presumably, it would best for both sides to fully commit to their paths, meaning LaVine should be in new threads by the time the season is over.
Zach Buckley of Bleacher Report believes that the Lakers should make a move for LaVine prior to the trade deadline.
LaVine won’t come with a cheap price tag — both in trade pieces and salary — but with where the Lakers stand, it might be worth taking a shot. LaVine is currently on a five-year, $215 million deal and is owed $43 million this season. However, with two more years left on his deal, including a player option in 2026-27, the Lakers could lock up LaVine for his best years.
A trade could consist of players such as D’Angelo Russell, Austin Reaves, Rui Hachimura, or Max Christie as well as future draft picks. With no major off-season transactions, the Lakers would be doing themselves a disservice if they didn’t try to load up on talent while James and Davis remain a tandem.
The addition of LaVine’s shooting would pair well with the playmaking of James, and his elite ability to create his own shots would take a load off of both James and Davis — preserving them throughout the season.
If there is one thing to knock LaVine on, it would be his ability to stay healthy. He has yet to play 82 games since his sophomore season. But, if the former Bruin can find ways to remain on the court, he can move the needle for the Lakers, making them championship contenders.
