The Chicago Bulls are expected to be sellers at the trade deadline, with valuable trade pieces in Zach LaVine and Nikola Vucevic who are drawing the most interest.
The potential for them to be moved may have just increased with the Dallas Mavericks and the Los Angeles Lakers pulling off one of the most insane trades in NBA history by sending Luka Doncic and more to the Lakers for Anthony Davis and others in a truly remarkable deal.
This blockbuster trade does not just have implications for every team in the NBA but also affects the Bulls, who have been tied to the Lakers in trade talks to send Vucevic over to them. By this happening, the possibility of that still occurring could still be a reality.
Truly a blockbuster deal
In the middle of the night, a deal shook the entire landscape of the NBA, with NBA insider Shams Charania reporting a three-team trade taking place between the Mavericks, Lakers, and Utah Jazz.
“Yes, this is real. Sources tell ESPN: Full trade: – Lakers: Luka Doncic, Maxi Kleber, Markieff Morris – Mavericks: Anthony Davis, Max Christie, 2029 LAL 1st – Jazz: Jalen Hood-Schifino, 2025 Clippers 2nd, 2025 Mavericks 2nd”
Yes, this is real. Sources tell ESPN: Full trade:
– Lakers: Luka Doncic, Maxi Kleber, Markieff Morris
– Mavericks: Anthony Davis, Max Christie, 2029 LAL 1st
– Jazz: Jalen Hood-Schifino, 2025 Clippers 2nd, 2025 Mavericks 2nd https://t.co/bltojdTaQj
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) February 2, 2025
This deal is remarkable from the standpoint that Shams reported that it all happened in “the shadows” and that not even LeBron James himself was aware that the deal took place.
“This deal materialized in the shadows … LeBron James had no idea this was coming. Anthony Davis had no idea this was coming. I’m told Luka Doncic is still stunned about this trade.’
@ShamsCharania on the Anthony Davis-Luka Doncic trade between the Lakers and Mavericks“
“This deal materialized in the shadows … LeBron James had no idea this was coming. Anthony Davis had no idea this was coming. I’m told Luka Doncic is still stunned about this trade.”@ShamsCharania on the Anthony Davis-Luka Doncic trade between the Lakers and Mavericks pic.twitter.com/Hp4bL3UX2M
— ESPN (@espn) February 2, 2025
That is insane, given that it is an open secret in the NBA that LeBron does get a say on players on the roster and who even gets a say on who the head coach could be, with JJ Reddick being his podcast partner before becoming the Lakers Head Coach. This deal makes the Lakers a force to be reckoned with in the Western Conference, with Doncic being a superstar in his own right and still just 25 years old.
How does this trade affect the Chicago Bulls?
The Lakers have been tied, to acquiring Vucevic and clearing Davis’s $54 million contract for this season with a total of roughly $175 million for the next three seasons, which does allow for some wiggle room for the Lakers to add Vucevic and his roughly, $41 million owed for the next two seasons. ClutchPoints Brett Siegal has reported that Vucevic is the top target of the Lakers, and now that Davis is gone, they could be more likely to add Vucevic, given their need for another center.
“Late Thursday evening, league sources informed ClutchPoints that the Lakers are still highly interested in Bulls center Nikola Vucevic,” Siegel wrote. “It would not be crazy to call Vucevic one of Los Angeles’ top targets ahead of the trade deadline.”
Vucevic has had a solid season for the Bulls, averaging 19.9 points, 10.4 rebounds (leads the Bulls), dishing out 3.4 assists, and averaging almost a block a game in 32.2 minutes and 48 games played.
This trade also affects Bulls guard Zach LaVine, who has also drawn a lot of interest from teams, with the latest team being the Milwaukee Bucks, who would look to pair LaVine with Damian Lillard to have an impressive backcourt. LaVine comes with a catch, with his contract being a major reason as to why teams have not acquired him sooner. LaVine is owed roughly $138 million over the next three seasons and would come with a cap hit of about $43 million.
LaVine has been playing at an All-Star caliber level this season, but LaVine was recently snubbed from being named a starter and a reserve with the Miami Heat, with Tyler Herro getting the spot over LaVine. For the season, LaVine is averaging 24 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 4.5 assists, having almost a steal a game in 34.1 minutes. LaVine has shown he is healthy and can be relied on to be out on the court playing in 42 of the 49 games the Bulls have played this season after playing 25 games last season.
Trade Deadline is fast approaching
The NBA Trade Deadline is on Thursday, Feb. 6, and it is fast approaching. With one blockbuster deal already done, the possibility for more happening is high.
This could mean that the Bulls do enter a rebuild and trade away both LaVine and Vucevic to begin that process.
Both would net the Bulls a good amount of draft capital and young players to pair with emerging stars like Ayo Dosunmu and rookie sensation Matas Buzelis.
Chicago Bulls big man boost trade value with impressive stat line
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