Potential Zach Trade Partners? 24/25 Edition

[MrSparkle]

I don’t see Zach going unless it’s a completely unexpected wild card team.

Lavine/Vuc/Craig for Bane/Edey/Kennard/FRP(#27)/2 SRPs

Very weak return for our 2 “all-stars” but alas, I can’t think of any tangible trades for these two. Atleast you come away with younger replacements Bane and Edey (who’s so far injury prone and a low-mpg guy).

But get this done and you tank on. Honestly, they’re deeply past the point of return on assets. I don’t think the league cares if Zach and Vuc make the ASG: it’ll just make the meek return more painful. This is like when Niko became Super Niko, playing out his mind, but everyone knew he needed to be traded, so we got crap back (ended up basically being worse than just letting him walk).

On top of things, Jimmy may hit the trade market. If he does, he becomes every contender’s dream- not Zach/Vuc.

Memphis' depth chart would look strong. Bane went from MIP/emerging star to having a brutal season on his big extension, so I'm unaware whether he's having minor or major injury-related blues, just cold feet on a big deal, etc. He is a 26yo 2-way player, but last thing I want is a guy paid similarly and longer than Zach, with injury issues. MEM would still have picks and contracts to bring another big time player if they want to maneuver next year, and Lavine's contract will just get better each year till he expires (not to mention Vuc's 20m).

Huh? Memphis would never do this and the Bulls would absolutely jump at it.

Would they? Bane and Edey are giving MEM much less right now than Zach and Vuc are giving CHI.

[Dez]

I don’t see Zach going unless it’s a completely unexpected wild card team.

Lavine/Vuc/Craig for Bane/Edey/Kennard/FRP(#27)/2 SRPs

Very weak return for our 2 “all-stars” but alas, I can’t think of any tangible trades for these two. Atleast you come away with younger replacements Bane and Edey (who’s so far injury prone and a low-mpg guy).

But get this done and you tank on. Honestly, they’re deeply past the point of return on assets. I don’t think the league cares if Zach and Vuc make the ASG: it’ll just make the meek return more painful. This is like when Niko became Super Niko, playing out his mind, but everyone knew he needed to be traded, so we got crap back (ended up basically being worse than just letting him walk).

On top of things, Jimmy may hit the trade market. If he does, he becomes every contender’s dream- not Zach/Vuc.

Memphis' depth chart would look strong. Bane went from MIP/emerging star to having a brutal season on his big extension, so I'm unaware whether he's having minor or major injury-related blues, just cold feet on a big deal, etc. He is a 26yo 2-way player, but last thing I want is a guy paid similarly and longer than Zach, with injury issues. MEM would still have picks and contracts to bring another big time player if they want to maneuver next year, and Lavine's contract will just get better each year till he expires (not to mention Vuc's 20m).

Huh? Memphis would never do this and the Bulls would absolutely jump at it.

Would they? Bane and Edey are giving MEM much less right now than Zach and Vuc are giving CHI.

Edey is a rookie big......Vuc should be playing better.

[jordanwilliams6]

I’ve certainly noticed a distinct change in the way Zach has played this season.

He feels less ball dominant and forced and seems to be trying to play naturally within an offense. I wonder if this is him just maturing as a player or if he’s trying to prove to other teams that he can fit within a modern NBA offense.

[sco]

If I'm GS, Lavine should be your target over Jimmy.

[Muzbar]

If I'm GS, Lavine should be your target over Jimmy.

I think Jimmy fits the Curry 'timeline' better than Zach but Zach fits in better game wise in that he's similar to Klay (offensively).

[jordanwilliams6]

If I'm GS, Lavine should be your target over Jimmy.

I think Jimmy fits the Curry 'timeline' better than Zach but Zach fits in better game wise in that he's similar to Klay (offensively).

Problem is that they already have Hield. Zach is clearly a better player but Buddy can provide 75% of what Zach does as 1/4 of the cost.

[Muzbar]

If I'm GS, Lavine should be your target over Jimmy.

I think Jimmy fits the Curry 'timeline' better than Zach but Zach fits in better game wise in that he's similar to Klay (offensively).

Problem is that they already have Hield. Zach is clearly a better player but Buddy can provide 75% of what Zach does as 1/4 of the cost.

Oh, 100%.

That's why I think Butler is a better target for them, Butler with Hield and Curry's shooting around him? Crazy.

[Jcool0]

ESPN's Bobby Marks spoke to one team that said LaVine's contract with the Bulls will likely prevent it and most other teams around the league from pursuing him in a trade.

"If we were operating under the 2017 CBA and there were no apron rules, I could make a case to my owner on LaVine," the team told Marks. "But his salary boxes you into a corner on how we can add to the roster."

Counting the rest of this season, LaVine has three years remaining on the $215 million max contract he signed with the Bulls in 2022. His cap hit for this year is $43 million, and he has a $46 million salary for 2025-26 as well as a $48.9 million player option for the 2026-27 campaign.

Marks pointed out that if LaVine is traded, the Bulls would owe him 15 percent of his remaining salary as a trade bonus, which amounts to $9.4 million. If the bonus isn't waived, LaVine's cap hit for 2025-26 rises to $51 million.

https://bleacherreport.com/articles/10147466-nba-exec-zach-lavines-bulls-contract-boxes-you-into-a-corner-amid-trade-rumors

[coldfish]

ESPN's Bobby Marks spoke to one team that said LaVine's contract with the Bulls will likely prevent it and most other teams around the league from pursuing him in a trade.

"If we were operating under the 2017 CBA and there were no apron rules, I could make a case to my owner on LaVine," the team told Marks. "But his salary boxes you into a corner on how we can add to the roster."

Counting the rest of this season, LaVine has three years remaining on the $215 million max contract he signed with the Bulls in 2022. His cap hit for this year is $43 million, and he has a $46 million salary for 2025-26 as well as a $48.9 million player option for the 2026-27 campaign.

Marks pointed out that if LaVine is traded, the Bulls would owe him 15 percent of his remaining salary as a trade bonus, which amounts to $9.4 million. If the bonus isn't waived, LaVine's cap hit for 2025-26 rises to $51 million.

https://bleacherreport.com/articles/10147466-nba-exec-zach-lavines-bulls-contract-boxes-you-into-a-corner-amid-trade-rumors

Imo, Zach is here for the duration. The big question is if he declines his player option. He will likely get a longer deal at a reduced amount if so.

[jnrjr79]

ESPN's Bobby Marks spoke to one team that said LaVine's contract with the Bulls will likely prevent it and most other teams around the league from pursuing him in a trade.

"If we were operating under the 2017 CBA and there were no apron rules, I could make a case to my owner on LaVine," the team told Marks. "But his salary boxes you into a corner on how we can add to the roster."

Counting the rest of this season, LaVine has three years remaining on the $215 million max contract he signed with the Bulls in 2022. His cap hit for this year is $43 million, and he has a $46 million salary for 2025-26 as well as a $48.9 million player option for the 2026-27 campaign.

Marks pointed out that if LaVine is traded, the Bulls would owe him 15 percent of his remaining salary as a trade bonus, which amounts to $9.4 million. If the bonus isn't waived, LaVine's cap hit for 2025-26 rises to $51 million.

https://bleacherreport.com/articles/10147466-nba-exec-zach-lavines-bulls-contract-boxes-you-into-a-corner-amid-trade-rumors

Marks tends to know his stuff, but I wonder if one of our resident capologists can weigh in on the trade kicker. My understanding is a 15% trade kicker for a guy on a max deal doesn't actually have full effect, because all it can do is increase the player's current salary up to what the current max slot would be worth (i.e. pay you the difference between how much the cap went up and your 8% raises, if any).

[Chi town]

Zach is staying.

Vuc Coby Zo need to all go.

[DropStep]

I think Jimmy fits the Curry 'timeline' better than Zach but Zach fits in better game wise in that he's similar to Klay (offensively).

Problem is that they already have Hield. Zach is clearly a better player but Buddy can provide 75% of what Zach does as 1/4 of the cost.

Oh, 100%.

That's why I think Butler is a better target for them, Butler with Hield and Curry's shooting around him? Crazy.

They don't seem thrilled with either Hield or Podziemski this year.

[DuckIII]

I get where Marks is coming from. But all that goes out the window if a team thinks it’s about to win a title and needs an elite scorer to get there.

Will that happen? Hard saying and Lavine has an inexplicably poor reputation when you consider what teams are giving up and giving out for guys like George, Harden, Book and Beal. And that could be the killer, but damn none of it really makes sense to me. There is no prohibitive favorite to win the title. There are lots of teams that could do it, which is unusual.

I get the apron. But damn.

[HomoSapien]

I really do like Coby, but if Zach is here to stay for the duration of his contract then White is the guy we need to trade to improve the roster/depth chart.

At his current contract, he's easily tradeable and could help a contender or a young team. While the interest would be wide, the question is if the return would make it worth it.

[Muzbar]

What!? Zach is hard to trade because of his large contract?

If only there was someone in here that was repeatedly saying this exact thing over and over...

[erlim]

Crazy to think Zach could very well just retire a Bull when guys like DRose and Noah did not. Vuc too.

[dougthonus]

Crazy to think Zach could very well just retire a Bull when guys like DRose and Noah did not. Vuc too.

Why would you think Zach would retire a Bull? He's going to be 32 when this deal ends. He's not going to be out of the league, and we aren't going to resign him.

[Jcool0]

What!? Zach is hard to trade because of his large contract?

If only there was someone in here that was repeatedly saying this exact thing over and over...

When they signed him he deal was tradable. With the new apron rules he isn't. Its pretty easy.

[sco]

What!? Zach is hard to trade because of his large contract?

If only there was someone in here that was repeatedly saying this exact thing over and over...

When they signed him he deal was tradable. With the new apron rules he isn't. Its pretty easy.

I think he'll be tradeable in the offseason if he continues to be healthy and play at this level. It's just a lot harder for teams to make the roster space during the season. And draft night is a way for teams who couldn't trade their 1st during the season to do so.

[ChettheJet]

OK another guy who finds three players every team should or could try to add. No big surprise he limits the Bulls players anybody would want to Zach to DET or SAS and then Torrey Craig to BOS. OK how many picks would the Bulls need to give up Craig? Yeah

https://bleacherreport.com/articles/10146914-imagining-every-nba-teams-top-3-trade-targets-right-now

The three guys he wants for the Bulls would be Ayton, Okongwu or Stewart I guess after Vucevic finds new home not mentioned as desired by anybody in the article

But Zach is is supposedly the guy nobody wants so here's the what if

Ayton to the Bulls
Zach To DET
Auser Thompson, Malik Beasley and THJ to PORT and maybe their pick back

Bulls obviously get a younger more mobile center and move Zach
DET is within a game of the Bulls gets a scorer and they have scoring issues
PORT 10 games under .500 and lottery bound again gets a young guard and 2 expiring contracts, move off one high cost veteran, they do have to release two players and maybe they're pick back