Zach LaVine has long been the subject of trade rumors, with many expecting the Chicago Bulls to eventually find him a new team. Despite their efforts, the Bulls have yet to find a satisfactory trade deal for LaVine. Instead of giving up valuable draft assets to offload his contract, the Bulls might consider keeping him to increase his trade value. If LaVine stays healthy and performs well, his value will rise, especially as his contract shortens.
Should the Bulls decide to keep Zach LaVine, they would have an intriguing yet flawed roster. Here’s a potential starting lineup and rotation for the Chicago Bulls if the season began today:
Possible Chicago Bulls Starting Lineup and Rotation with Zach LaVine:
– Point Guard:Josh Giddey/Lonzo Ball
– Shooting Guard:Coby White/Ayo Dosunmu
– Small Forward: Zach LaVine/Matas Buzelis
– Power Forward: Patrick Williams/Torrey Craig
– Center:Nikola Vucevic/Jalen Smith
The Bulls recently traded Alex Caruso for Josh Giddey, a deal that appears increasingly unfavorable for Chicago. They also re-signed Patrick Williams, drafted Matas Buzelis, and signed free agent Jalen Smith. While the roster is still in flux, with ongoing trade discussions for LaVine and potential sign-and-trade options for DeMar DeRozan, this is the current setup.
A three-guard lineup featuring Giddey, White, and LaVine could be exciting offensively. Giddey, a creator who doesn’t require many shots, could effectively distribute the ball to LaVine and White. If LaVine embraces a role as a spot-up 3-point shooter, this trio could thrive on offense.
However, defensively, this lineup would struggle. Both Giddey and LaVine are poor defenders, and the team lacks a rim protector to mitigate their defensive lapses. Although some might argue for Jalen Smith to start over Vucevic, this change wouldn’t resolve the perimeter defense issues.
If Lonzo Ball remains healthy, the Bulls’ bench could be interesting but still flawed, lacking sufficient floor spacing. The Bulls’ eagerness to trade LaVine is understandable, as his presence complicates Coby White’s role and severely impacts the team’s defensive capabilities.
Both sides likely hope to find a resolution to avoid this scenario, but if LaVine stays, the Bulls could be a high-scoring, entertaining team that would need to score 130 points a night to secure victories.
