The Chicago Bulls‘ trade sending Alex Caruso to the Oklahoma City Thunder for Josh Giddey may have weakened their position. He was a potential key to moving Zach LaVine and the remaining $138 million and three years of a five-year, $215.1 million contract.
But there could still be some hope, with the Sacramento Kings as a potential trade partner, per NBC Sports Chicago’s K.C. Johnson on June 20.
Bleacher Report’s Andy Bailey suggests a deal to land a pair of contributors and picks.
Bulls get:
– Harrison Barnes
– Kevin Huerter
– 2027 first-round pick swap
Kings get:
– Zach LaVine
HoopsHype’s Michael Scotto reported the Bulls’ interest in Huerter in January. A
The Kings signed LaVine to an offer sheet in 2018. The two sides talked LaVine trades but those talks included Caruso, per Action Network’s Matt Moore on June 18.
“For the Bulls, this is almost entirely about flexibility. Injuries and a hefty contract have hurt LaVine’s trade value, so it may be hard for Chicago to get much back for him,” Bailey wrote on June 20.
“This deal gives them two role players whose contracts expire a year earlier. Both have deals that would be easier to move than LaVine’s, so the value of this package could grow over time.”
The Bulls could shed roughly $9 million in this trade.
They would also move one year closer to accessing additional cap space. But if LaVine’s market remains cold, a deal that brings them back a piece they believe can help them be better in the future could be more likely.
Bulls Add Depth and Flexibility in Proposed Trade With Kings
Barnes, 32, averaged 12.2 points, 3.0 rebounds, and 1.2 assists this past season. He won a championship with the Golden State Warriors in 2015, would add size at 6-foot-8, and shot 37.8% on 4.7 threes per game last season.
Barnes is entering Year 2 of a three-year, $54 million contract and will count $18 million against the salary cap in 2024-25.
Huerter is entering Year 3 of a four-year, $65 million pact ($16.8 million in 2024-25).
The former Atlanta Hawks wing averaged 10.2 points, 3.5 rebounds, and 2.6 assists last season. He also shot a career-low 36.1% from downtown while averaging a career-low 24 minutes.
The swap option in this hypothetical trade scenario would only be of value if the Bulls project themselves as overtaking the Kings in the overall league standings by then.
The Kings took a step back this past season.
They missed the playoffs after snapping their 14-year drought the year before. They have won at least 46 games in each season. But both teams finished ninth in the standings in their respective conferences.
Insider: Bulls Hurdles in Zach LaVine Trade ‘Have Not Changed’
The Bulls could be in a similar situation as they found themselves with the Caruso trade. That deal has been questioned in NBA circles. Chicago did not receive any of the Thunder’s ample draft capital in addition to Giddey.
But the Bulls are said to be very high on the guard. Whether or not the Bulls can extract value from LaVine at this point remains unclear.
He has been available for some time and some suitors are again backing out early.
“Trading Zach LaVine is known to be Chicago’s foremost priority now. The troubles Chicago face here, however, have not changed since November: Creating a market for LaVine has been (to put it mildly) challenging,” The Stein Line’s Marc Stein wrote on June 22.
“League sources say Philadelphia continues to have little interest in LaVine and I have likewise been advised to dismiss Utah‘s reported interest. The Bulls, remember, had trouble generating a market for LaVine when they could have attached Caruso to trade constructions. That option, obviously, no longer exists.”
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