Zach LaVine has been the subject of trade rumors for multiple seasons now with the Chicago Bulls, but the two-time All-Star hasn’t let the noise affect his game, especially during the Bulls’ surprising victory over the Boston Celtics on Thursday. As heavy underdogs, not much was expected from Chicago during their trip to TD Garden.
Advertisement
But the Bulls, and especially LaVine, showed up in a big way. The 29-year-old posted a 36-6-4 stat line, prompting Tim Legler to take notice of the performance on the ALL NBA Podcast.
The ESPN analyst talked about the stunning win for the Bulls, admitting that he doesn’t usually watch Bulls games from start to finish. He highlighted LaVine’s dominance on the court, underlining that the Bulls star has become a coveted talent this season. “I’m watching Zach LaVine, and you know what… I understand why teams might want to go get this guy,” Legler said.
Among notable teams looking to possibly acquire the two-time Slam Dunk Contest champion are the Denver Nuggets. The team has still been competitive in a stacked Western Conference, thanks to three-time MVP, Nikola Jokic. But the Nuggets have lost a striking amount of depth since the franchise won its first title in 2023.
“[LaVine’s] name came up with Denver… and I think I really saw it on display last night, Denver doesn’t have a lot of guys that can go get theirs off the dribble and handle a ball screen and get to a shot or get an iso…Zach LaVine is a very accomplished scorer,” the former Nugget added.
LaVine’s skill set projects as a perfect fit alongside Jokic, Jamal Murray and Aaron Gordon. The explosive guard has the ability to heat up from anywhere on the court and has proven his ability to knock down tough shots at a high clip. LaVine would gel seamlessly into Denver’s backcourt, taking a lot of the offensive workload from the Joker with his ability to score independently from mid-range, outside the arc, and at the rim.
The 57-year-old believes any contender would benefit from the 10-year veteran’s three-level scoring. Legler went on, “He got to wherever he wanted to get… I’m watching how smooth he is and how he glides around the court and how easy it is for him to score… if you need some more firepower, some more scoring punch, Zach LaVine is the guy…What a difference-maker he could potentially be [for the Nuggets].”
The shooting guard’s hefty $43 million contract has been the biggest roadblock in trade discussions so far, with most teams unable to match the mammoth deal. The Nuggets, however, are one of the few teams that can make it work.
Denver can trade for Zach Lavine if they part with another starter
The Nuggets are loaded up with lucrative contracts of their own, but Murray and Jokic won’t be departing anytime soon. What Denver can use to help match Lavine’s money is Michael Porter Jr’s $35 million contract, which reaches $40 million by 2026-27. The 26-year-old has remained a solid starting option, but he doesn’t bring the same ceiling that LaVine would provide for the championship hopeful Nuggets.
Denver would be sacrificing a little defense and a lot of size by unloading the 6-foot-10 Porter Jr. But the sixth-seeded Nuggets need some change to get them going before the playoffs.
