Potential Zach Trade Partners? 24/25 Edition

[jordanwilliams6]

Zach's perception comes down to basically three things. Injuries, contract and being a losing player.

The injuries don't necessarily stack up. He'd had one bad ACL and the foot surgery last year. Other than that, he's pretty healthy other than some minor injuries that all players deal with.

The contract is definitely a major factor. Zach isn't good enough to be a number 1 option on a successful NBA team. I also don't think he's good enough to be the 2nd best player on a contender either. 2nd best scorer? Sure. He's well and truly paid like a lower end 1st option or high end 2nd option. Plenty of teams would love to acquire him for 3rd option money (say $25-$30 million per year).

The losing player perception is likely true. How many times do we see Zach dominate games and then throw them away in the final couple of minutes? Now this could probably be fixed by heading to a team where he's the 2nd or 3rd option and isn't required to make end of game decisions.

[ChiTownHero1992]

The fact that this man is still here, still on roster and people are now claiming "theyre fine with keeping him"....is the exact reason i have given up on the Bulls entirely this season and very soon entirely as a franchise. It sucks because i loved the bulls all my life, 30+ years of it and they've become unwatchable for me in recent years. I've never been a fan of Zach, never wanted him and never will, you can throw all the stats in the world at the wall it will never change my mind. He needs to go, this franchise needs a desperate change and soon. If 29 teams dont want the man, why are we the one fanbase that goes you know what no one wants him lets keep him, that makes less than 0 sense.

[Jcool0]

Zach's perception comes down to basically three things. Injuries, contract and being a losing player.

The injuries don't necessarily stack up. He'd had one bad ACL and the foot surgery last year. Other than that, he's pretty healthy other than some minor injuries that all players deal with.

The contract is definitely a major factor. Zach isn't good enough to be a number 1 option on a successful NBA team. I also don't think he's good enough to be the 2nd best player on a contender either. 2nd best scorer? Sure. He's well and truly paid like a lower end 1st option or high end 2nd option. Plenty of teams would love to acquire him for 3rd option money (say $25-$30 million per year).

The losing player perception is likely true. How many times do we see Zach dominate games and then throw them away in the final couple of minutes? Now this could probably be fixed by heading to a team where he's the 2nd or 3rd option and isn't required to make end of game decisions.

Zach contract relative to playing level is fine. He is a 25/5/5 player. The problem is the new rules and this 2nd apron that have stopped teams from forming big 3s.

[kodo]

Lavine is fine as a 2nd option, salary-wise.
Per 36 numbers:

Zach Lavine: 25.6 points on 64.5% TS, $43M

Jaylen Brown: 24.0 on 55.4% TS, $50M
Lillard: 24.7 on 61.2% TS, $49M
Siakam: 21.6 on 60.9% TS, $42M
Jalen Williams: 22.9 on 55.8% TS, will get Rose rule max, $54M
Derozan: 21.2 on on 56.0% TS, $27M

Zero big moves have happened so far not just Lavine. Ingram hasn't moved. Zion hasn't moved. Butler hasn't moved. Collins hasn't moved.

And the elephant in the room is that I don't think AK wants to move him anymore, because we're sniffing play-in again. We didn't trade Caruso for picks & he was easy to move at $8M at this same point with the same record last year. AK has no problem not selling high and just waiting it out for worse value, because ultimately he just doesn't believe in picks. Just look at the Derozan trade, instead of an unprotected Sacramento 1st rounder he took Chris Duarte & cash & 2nd rounders.

[Dez]

The fact that this man is still here, still on roster and people are now claiming "theyre fine with keeping him"....is the exact reason i have given up on the Bulls entirely this season and very soon entirely as a franchise. It sucks because i loved the bulls all my life, 30+ years of it and they've become unwatchable for me in recent years. I've never been a fan of Zach, never wanted him and never will, you can throw all the stats in the world at the wall it will never change my mind. He needs to go, this franchise needs a desperate change and soon. If 29 teams dont want the man, why are we the one fanbase that goes you know what no one wants him lets keep him, that makes less than 0 sense.

Keeping him as opposed to making a bad deal, it makes perfect sense.

[ChettheJet]

OK let's say that the Bucks are really interested in Bradley Beal, because what's one more giant contract in Wisconsin
and
the Suns are still today's Jimmy Butler destination

can the Bulls take Zach and maybe even Vuc to be the 4th a 4 team trade and end up with something? Or maybe they make a trade that sets up MIL, MIA and PHO shake up sort of putting a dozen players' names in a hat and picking out who goes where.

[GuardianEnzo]

Why would Milwaukee - or any team - want Beal instead of Lavine? He makes more money and is a worse player.

[2weekswithpay]

The Bucks being interested in Beal sounds like BS. Both teams are over the 2nd apron and can't aggregate salaries. The only Beal trade they can make is Giannis or Dame for Beal and they aren't doing that.

[Muzbar]

The Bucks being interested in Beal sounds like BS. Both teams are over the 2nd apron and can't aggregate salaries. The only Beal trade they can make is Giannis or Dame for Beal and they aren't doing that.

Apparently they're only 6.5m or so over the 2nd apron, so if they made a salary slashing move they could then aggregate players.

But I agree that it sounds like BS, that's a lot of effort to acquire a player of Beals quality on that contract. He'd be the highest paid player per year on that contract.

[vxmike]

IMO Zach has been playing in a way this season that makes his contract virtually a value-deal.

Maybe no longer a super toxic contract but not a value deal. Teams no longer want to spend almost $50m/yr for a 3rd option. It’s the same reason why Ingram has no trade market.

If Zach was making $35m he’d have all sorts of trade interest.

[dougthonus]

Zach to the Pistons makes a lot of sense to me now.

The Pistons are rising, they need 3 point shooting, they could use another scorer, they have Cade whom can manage the primary ball handling duties and Zach can come in as a secondary guy. They are in a financial space they can make his contract work, and they are unlikely to attract someone better.

Harris + Hardaway + some minor draft assets for Zach + Craig gets the job done. Harris has one more year at 25M. Hardaway is expiring. Big financial savings if we just want out of the contract and want to pursue the draft.

If anyone wants Harris, flip him for expirings if it is on the table in a 3 way.

I'm not sure if the Bulls would take just financial relief for Zach, but if so, this deal seems like it makes sense for both sides and is better than anything either side will find otherwise.

[sco]

Zach to the Pistons makes a lot of sense to me now.

The Pistons are rising, they need 3 point shooting, they could use another scorer, they have Cade whom can manage the primary ball handling duties and Zach can come in as a secondary guy. They are in a financial space they can make his contract work, and they are unlikely to attract someone better.

Harris + Hardaway + some minor draft assets for Zach + Craig gets the job done. Harris has one more year at 25M. Hardaway is expiring. Big financial savings if we just want out of the contract and want to pursue the draft.

If anyone wants Harris, flip him for expirings if it is on the table in a 3 way.

I'm not sure if the Bulls would take just financial relief for Zach, but if so, this deal seems like it makes sense for both sides and is better than anything either side will find otherwise.

I'm with you on this but I still doubt AK is on the tank train, which is the only way he trades Zach for financial relief. That said, DET has enough young assets (especially if they have Zach taking his minutes) that they could easily include one or two of them in a deal.

[Muzbar]

Zach to the Pistons makes a lot of sense to me now.

The Pistons are rising, they need 3 point shooting, they could use another scorer, they have Cade whom can manage the primary ball handling duties and Zach can come in as a secondary guy. They are in a financial space they can make his contract work, and they are unlikely to attract someone better.

Harris + Hardaway + some minor draft assets for Zach + Craig gets the job done. Harris has one more year at 25M. Hardaway is expiring. Big financial savings if we just want out of the contract and want to pursue the draft.

If anyone wants Harris, flip him for expirings if it is on the table in a 3 way.

I'm not sure if the Bulls would take just financial relief for Zach, but if so, this deal seems like it makes sense for both sides and is better than anything either side will find otherwise.

I agree that Detroit is a great fit for Zach, BUT, I think trading Harris for him would be bad on Detroits part, his steady veteran leadership is part of the reason for their turnaround plus they've got Jaden Ivey who was having a good year until he had that freak injury. I'm not sure they'd want to push him back to the bench, unless they play Zach at the 3 (in place of THJ) and Ivey back at the 2.

Detroit has like 14m in capspace, so they can absorb some of Zachs contract.

As for draft assets, they can't trade a FRP until 2029 (at this stage) as they've got a protected FRP owed to Minnesota up until 2027 (although it's likely to convey this year at their current rate), however if you're after SRPs, they've got a few.

[Chi town]

Zach to the Pistons makes a lot of sense to me now.

The Pistons are rising, they need 3 point shooting, they could use another scorer, they have Cade whom can manage the primary ball handling duties and Zach can come in as a secondary guy. They are in a financial space they can make his contract work, and they are unlikely to attract someone better.

Harris + Hardaway + some minor draft assets for Zach + Craig gets the job done. Harris has one more year at 25M. Hardaway is expiring. Big financial savings if we just want out of the contract and want to pursue the draft.

If anyone wants Harris, flip him for expirings if it is on the table in a 3 way.

I'm not sure if the Bulls would take just financial relief for Zach, but if so, this deal seems like it makes sense for both sides and is better than anything either side will find otherwise.

I agree that Detroit is a great fit for Zach, BUT, I think trading Harris for him would be bad on Detroits part, his steady veteran leadership is part of the reason for their turnaround plus they've got Jaden Ivey who was having a good year until he had that freak injury. I'm not sure they'd want to push him back to the bench, unless they play Zach at the 3 (in place of THJ) and Ivey back at the 2.

Detroit has like 14m in capspace, so they can absorb some of Zachs contract.

As for draft assets, they can't trade a FRP until 2029 (at this stage) as they've got a protected FRP owed to Minnesota up until 2027 (although it's likely to convey this year at their current rate), however if you're after SRPs, they've got a few.

WT last week said Pistons will only do minor deals at TDL.

Zach fits them like a glove but I don’t see them going for it although they should.

Agree Muz. Harris has to stay.

THJ 20 Space 14M Holland 8M.

Throw in Craig if they want him.

[kodo]

League's best Isolation players. Damn is Zach doing a great job this year.
- Tied for the best points per possession w/ Durant
- 2nd highest eFG after Durant
- One of the lowest TO rates
- doing it all with a very little love from the refs

[Stratmaster]

League's best Isolation players. Damn is Zach doing a great job this year.
- Tied for the best points per possession w/ Durant
- 2nd highest eFG after Durant
- One of the lowest TO rates
- doing it all with a very little love from the refs

But he's a 3rd option. Who should be dumped for salary relief lol

[Dez]

League's best Isolation players. Damn is Zach doing a great job this year.
- Tied for the best points per possession w/ Durant
- 2nd highest eFG after Durant
- One of the lowest TO rates
- doing it all with a very little love from the refs

But he's a 3rd option. Who should be dumped for salary relief lol

Correct.

[2weekswithpay]

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[sco]

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They have their 2031 pick and a couple earlier ones that POR has swap rights on. I don't know much about their young guys, but nobody has stood out that I have noticed. I guess if they offered two of those picks up with Middleton and filler, it might be enough.

[cocktailswith_2short]

25/5/5 ...I member the days when id kill for this player on the bulls . I will be sad when he's traded but happy for him . He will win a championship as a third fiddle no doubt .