By Joel Perez 
Over the past couple of days, I’ve heard chatter surrounding Zach LaVine and how great of a fit
he’d be on the Denver Nuggets, as well as other teams like the Los Angeles Lakers—who, at
this point, seem to be in the mix for just about anyone as they desperately look to add elite-level
talent to their roster. The talk over the summer, when LaVine’s name came up in trade
discussions, revolved around the level of risk involved due to his contract and, of course, the
injury concerns. He’s set to earn $43 million this year, approximately $46 million next year, and
has a player option for $49 million in the 2026-2027 season.
To his credit, LaVine is playing at an All-Star level this season, getting off to an impressive start
and putting his name on notice—especially after an outstanding performance against the
top-seeded Boston Celtics. In that game, he posted a stellar stat line of 36 points, 6 rebounds,
and 4 assists, leading the Chicago Bulls to victory. While concerns surrounding his contract are
worth noting, his performance on the court makes it justifiable.
LaVine is currently averaging 21 points, 4 rebounds, and 4 assists per game while shooting an
efficient 50% from the field and an impressive 43% from beyond the arc. It’s no wonder there’s
chatter around the league about adding him to a roster, given the high level of play he’s
showcasing. He’s even taken on a larger role for Chicago over the years, often playing at the
forward spot and, in some lineups, guarding smaller power forwards alongside the Bulls’
guard-heavy rotations.
LaVine’s versatility makes him a fit for just about any roster, which explains the high level of
interest among contenders. For instance, the Nuggets would be an excellent destination due to
their need for additional offensive playmakers. Jamal Murray’s decline since their championship
run has been noticeable and could be worth analyzing at some point. He seems like a
completely different player compared to the star who helped lead Denver to the mountaintop in
2023.
The makeup of a trade between these two teams would likely include 26-year-old Michael
Porter Jr., who is also on a very expensive contract that some argue he hasn’t lived up to.
However, I’d counter that it’s more about his role on the team—particularly on the offensive
end—where he’s often relegated to waiting in the corner for the ball to swing his way after Jamal
Murray or Nikola Jokic run some sort of pick-and-roll action. Rather than utilizing MPJ to create
plays for himself or come off screens to get open for a three or a drive, they essentially have him
watching the ball and waiting for those drive-and-kick situations.
When the ball does swing his way, MPJ typically takes the shot instantly, as that’s what he’s
asked to do. He’s easily the most dependable shooter on their roster, but his role could
potentially expand in a different system—perhaps one like Chicago’s—where he could be
utilized more creatively, not just as a shooter but as an effective 20-plus-points-per-game scorer.
I know I went off the rails with MPJ lore just now, but the framework for a trade would likely
include Porter and one of two young players, like Peyton Watson or Julian Strawther, to make it
at least somewhat more enticing for the Bulls to agree to a deal. For MPJ, it would clearly be about expanding his offensive game under the bright lights of Chicago, while for Zach LaVine, it
would be about playing on a bigger stage with a bigger role—competing in meaningful
basketball games while complementing Nikola Jokic, a proven commodity with three MVPs
under his belt and a legitimate shot at winning a fourth this season.
It’s all about the present for the Nuggets, and an acquisition like LaVine would undoubtedly
make Denver more dynamic than they already are. While it might not completely swing the
needle in their favor, there’s no doubt it would improve their chances—especially if Jamal
Murray turns it up a notch playing a bit more off the ball with LaVine joining him and Jokic.
Another trade idea in the “LaVine Trade Sweepstakes” involves the Lakers acquiring Zach
LaVine to join LeBron James and Anthony Davis. Davis, at times this season, has reminded
everyone why he’s considered one of the most dominant big men in the league—even garnering
some early MVP buzz when it looked like the Lakers were heading in the right direction.
However, their regression since then has made it clear that the roster needs additional
firepower.
The framework of a trade between Chicago and LA would likely center around D’Angelo
Russell, who has had his fair share of struggles this year, along with Rui Hachimura, who hasn’t
quite met the Lakers’ expectations. Together, their cap figures would account for about $35
million, but other pieces would need to be included to make the deal work. Players like Gabe
Vincent ($11 million) or Jarred Vanderbilt ($10.7 million) could round out the package.
Would the Bulls be interested in a deal like this? More than likely not—unless the Lakers were
willing to include Austin Reaves and/or rookie Dalton Knecht (“Knecht Four”). Even then,
Chicago might only listen if they were looking to unload contracts and get creative with a third
team, potentially flipping players for valuable draft assets. The Lakers’ 2029 or 2030 first-round
pick could also sweeten the pot enough to make it worth considering.
A couple of minutes into the first quarter of the Celtics-Bulls matchup, I loaded up League Pass
and was intrigued by the idea of watching a frisky Bulls team against the Boston Celtics, for
some odd reason, as I really tend to “hate-watch” Boston, admittedly so… But regardless, I had
the itch to watch this game due to no other interesting games going on at that moment. I loaded
it up and got to witness Zach’s offensive masterclass performance against one of the top teams
in the league, and even more impressive against one of the best defensive teams the league
has to offer. Not only did he end up with 36 points to finish the game, but he also shot above
50% from both inside and outside the three-point line.
Zach LaVine has scored more than 30 points in three out of his last four games. Regardless of
where LaVine lands at the end of the day, he’s among the top in the league on the offensive side
of the basketball, and any team would love to add that to their roster. Maybe Miami’s interested,
but that would more than likely have to include a third team, just like the Lakers would, and it
can get somewhat complicated and nearly impossible to pull off. Let’s just pray he ends up in
Denver for all of our sakes and gets to showcase his offensive bag alongside Jokic, where he
can be absolutely lethal and crucial to the winning culture in Denver. That would simply be the
best landing spot—and probably the most fun one to watch, in my humble opinion.
Angel Rivera