Shams Charania appeared on Fanduel's Run It Back program and reiterated that the Bulls may be open to trading Zach LaVine to the Lakers but only if a very specific piece is included — Austin Reaves.
The Bulls may be trying to take advantage of the recent comments made by LeBron James, expressing frustration with a 44-point loss. The Lakers aren't off to a bad start for the season but the team clearly needs upgrades and on paper, LaVine for Reaves could be an upgrade.
Still, the Lakers would be unwise to trade a solid wing in Reaves who has rebounded from a slow start to be a plus starter this season. His contract is much more reasonable and, with all of this in mind, it's pretty clear what a fair Lakers' trade offer actually is for LaVine.
What is a fair trade offer for Zach LaVine from the Lakers?
The Lakers have a huge challenge when it comes to a Zach LaVine trade due to the fact that his salary is hard to match. L.A. will most likely have to offer a deal that is rough on the player compensation side but allows the Bulls to have extremely valuable first-round picks at the end of the decade.
LaVine's max contract will be extremely bad in the last three years of his deal. With that in mind, the Bulls will not get full value for the All-Star. He is also a player who is aging and relies heavily on athleticism.
With all of this in mind a deal from the Lakers should include D'Angelo Russell, Gabe Vincent, Taurean Prince, and Jalen Hood-Schifino. While this type of player compensation might be a bit low, the Lakers would most likely offer a end of the decade first round pick and one or two swaps in any deal for LaVine.
While the Bulls might not get the Lakers that they wanted for LaVine, the team could be in a good position for the future.
