What’s Next For Zach LaVine?

NBA Free Agency is right around the corner and one of the hottest free agents of the summer is Chicago Bulls’ guard Zach LaVine.

The two-time NBA All-Star had a great year this season, helping the Bulls reach the playoffs for the first time since 2017. One of their biggest issues were injuries that led to the loss of Lonzo Ball and Alex Caruso. The Bulls would then lose to the defending champion Milwaukee Bucks 4-1, with the team having their struggles with shooting and on defense.

There have been talks that LaVine might open his options this summer, so let’s look at some of them.

Dallas Mavericks

Although they lost to the Golden State Warriors 4-1 in the Western Conference Finals, the Dallas Mavericks have made an incredible push this postseason after trading Kristaps Porzingis. Adding LaVine would be a great pick up for the Mavericks. It adds more star power to go with Luka Doncic and it also takes pressure off of players like Jalen Brunson (if they keep him) and Spencer Dinwiddie.

However, Dallas would also need to be in search of a big man that is able to play down low and crash the boards. LaVine can bring his shooting and his explosiveness to this team, which the fans of Dallas would enjoy. If the Mavericks are able to get the key pieces they need, including LaVine, Dallas may be a scary playoff contender within the next few years.

 

Portland Blazers

The Portland Trailblazers were 14th in the Western Conference (27-55) and are currently in rebuild mode after gaining the seventh pick in the upcoming NBA Draft. Even though they have one of the youngest teams in the league, they still have six-time All-NBA guard Damian Lillard, who is extremely loyal to the city of Portland, and the Blazers have to make sure they do everything they can to keep things that way.

LaVine would be a good pickup but the West is already deep enough and they would really have to dig deep in free agency. Things to also consider is how this would affect rising star Anfernee Simons, who had one of the biggest leaps this season as he continues to get better.

 

Philadelphia 76ers

The Philadelphia 76ers have a well rounded team but they still haven’t been able to get over the hump the last couple of years, even with the blockbuster trade that sent Ben Simmons, Andre Drummond and Seth Curry to the Brooklyn Nets for James Harden. Fans saw slight glimpses of “The Beard” but it wasn’t enough to get past the Miami Heat.

Joel Embiid was dealing with multiple injuries and it seemed they were relying on second-year player Tyrese Maxey and Tobias Harris most of the time.

The reason why LaVine would be a great fit for the 76ers is because Harden wouldn’t necessarily have to worry about scoring as much as he once did. This could allow LaVine to play freely and be able to just focus on knocking down shots.

Coach Doc Rivers could also move Maxey to the bench, making him their sixth man. This way, he can give the team the extra spark they need. Danny Green’s knee injury may be a sign for Philly to do whatever they can to get LaVine this offseason.

Conclusion

The Bulls were one of the teams that looked like they could compete at a championship level but they had some struggles during the season against the top teams in the league.

That does not mean they are a terrible team. With a few minor changes, the Bulls should keep the group together to build up their team chemistry, but LaVine has to make the best decision for himself coming up in July.

 

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