There is no shortage of franchises with big ambitions for next year, which promises an eventful summer. Lakers and Bulls are obviously part of it, and could animate the off-season with a blockbuster trade involving no less than 6 players!
Like every year, it is the teams that have not achieved their objectives that should shake up the market, and be the most active there. This is good, since several big names came out disappointed with the 2021-22 season in the NBA. Among them, the Lakers and the Bulls, whose title dreams have disappeared too quickly for their taste in recent weeks.
On the one hand, as announced favorites for the Larry O’Brien Trophy at the start of the season, the Angelinos failed to even qualify for the playoffs. A failure even greater than that of Chicago, whose elimination in the first round of the postseason against the Bucks nevertheless suffered from no debate. The fate of the two franchises could thus be even more linked in the days to come.
Davis and Westbrook at the Bulls, LaVine at the Lakers?
Suite at the big call from the foot of Zach LaVine in the direction of the Lakers, rumors about a future trade between LA and Chi-Town are popular in the NBA community. However, setting up a trade between the two teams is quite a challenge. Fadeaway World nevertheless tried to raise it, imagining a deal involving 6 starters and two Draft choices!
Via this transfer, the Lakers would thus get their hands on Zach LaVine, but not only. Lonzo Ball and Alex Caruso would thus make their return to the Purple & Gold, and would bring a dose of outside defense that has been lacking in recent months in the City of Angels. The franchise would also be reassured in the long term, with the arrival of the promising Patrick Williams, as well as 1st-round picks 2022 and 2023.
On the other side, Chicago would welcome two stars to accompany DeMar DeRozan and Nikola Vucevic. Among them : Anthony Davis, originally from Chicago and for whom a return to Illinois would certainly not be bad news. The biggest unknown therefore lies in Russell Westbrookwho will have to find his level in Windy City so that the leaders of the Bulls make their big counterpart profitable!
A Lakers / Bulls exchange of this magnitude remains of course a longshot at this stage of the offseason, but could become credible if a Zach LaVine continues to go in the direction of the Angelinos!