NBA Rumors: Cavaliers Could Trade Jordan Clarkson & No. 5 Pick For Zach Lavine, ‘Da Windy City’ Suggests
While most NBA teams are expected to be aggressive in building a roster that can legitimately contend for the NBA championship title, the Chicago Bulls don’t seem to be in a rush to return to title contention. Instead of bringing in superstars via trade or free agency, the Bulls are focused on adding young and promising talents that will complement young big men Lauri Markannen and Wendell Carter Jr. Citing a report from Darnell Mayberry of The Athletic, Sporting News‘ E. Jay Zarrett revealed that there’s a growing belief around the league that the Bulls have made every player on their roster available in trade discussions, except Markannen and Carter Jr.
Zarrett opened up the possibility that the Bulls may even consider trading Zach Lavine if the right deal comes along. Once he officially becomes available on the trading block, Lavine will in no doubt fetch plenty of interest from teams who are in dire need of another scoring threat on their roster. According to Fansided’s Da Windy City, one of the teams who could express interest in trading for Lavine is the Cleveland Cavaliers.
In a proposed trade deal, the Cavaliers will be sending Jordan Clarkson — the No. 5 pick in the 2019 NBA Draft and a future second-round pick to the Bulls — in exchange for Zach Lavine and the No. 7 pick in the 2019 NBA Draft. If the trade becomes a reality, it will definitely help both teams in improving their respective rosters.
“The Bulls end up swapping first-round picks with the Cavs here, along with obtaining a future second-rounder. Since LaVine is on the rise, I believe he still outweighs Clarkson and a pick swap. Clarkson is a capable scorer to come in and replace LaVine, and the Bulls could now have an even better shot at landing Garland. Then, their starting five would be set. Meanwhile, the Cavs would have young point guard Collin Sexton paired with LaVine going forward.”
Should The Bulls Move On From Zach LaVine? https://t.co/XUOJhatWzG pic.twitter.com/LlI3KsCTtt
— CBS Chicago (@cbschicago) May 25, 2019
The Cavaliers may have finished the 2018-19 NBA season as one of the worst teams in the Eastern Conference, but they haven’t shown any sign that they are planning to undergo a full-scale rebuild. If they plan to keep Kevin Love, trading for Zach Lavine makes a lot of sense. Lavine will not make the Cavaliers an instant contender, but his arrival will undeniably boost their chance of returning to the Eastern Conference Playoffs next season.
Meanwhile, the deal will allow the Bulls to unload Zach Lavine’s lucrative contract while acquiring his replacement in Jordan Clarkson. Moving up to the No. 5 pick will give the Bulls a better chance of landing Darius Garland, who could serve as a replacement for Kris Dunn as their starting point guard.
