Proposed Trae Young trade lands Bulls’ Zach LaVine, Lonzo Ball
The Chicago Bulls were another team mentioned in connection to a potential Murray trade, and once again it could make even more sense in this instance.
Chicago could be desperate to make a splash after the last three seasons have proven futile in their efforts to build a consistent contender. They entered the season without Lonzo Ball, whose return to the court remains without a definitive timeline.
And Zach LaVine is out for the season, which makes him ideal in this hypothetical scenario.
This is the front office special – the Hawks trade a bona fide All-Star for multiple depressed assets and future flexibility with LaVine, a potential new playmaking guard in Ball, and a bevy of draft picks to help retool the roster.
LaVine is on an almost identical five-year, $215 million contract as Young.
There is also some speculation that part of his decision to shut it down for the year was due to ongoing trade talks between the Bulls and Detroit Pistons, who have the NBA’s worst record.
He is still an All-Star-caliber scorer when healthy, and that is something the Hawks would need in the unlikely scenario Young is dealt away this offseason. LaVine is from the state of Washington like Murray, and the two have a previously existing bond because of that.
Ball’s future is nebulous at best, even if a healthy version would be a lottery ticket.
The final year of his four-year, $80 million contract will also be eligible for injury exemption if he is unable to return to the floor next season. But he and Bogdanovic are not necessary for this concept to work.
This, again, calls for the rebuild-averse Bulls to get desperate. Losing Bogdan Bogdanovic (to better balance out the salary) would also hurt. But it would be an absolute boon for the Hawks in several ways both on the court and in the books.