NBA Rumors: Zach LaVine Could Be Traded To Mavericks For Tim Hardaway Jr. And Four Draft Picks
The Dallas Mavericks were among the teams that managed to surpass expectations last season. However, to challenge powerhouse teams like the Los Angeles Lakers and the Los Angeles Clippers for the Western Conference supremacy, the Mavericks might need to surround Luka Doncic and Kristaps Porzingis with more star power. One of the potential trade targets for Dallas this offseason is Zach LaVine of the Chicago Bulls.
According to Brett Siegel of NBA Analysis Network, the Mavericks could offer a package that includes Tim Hardaway Jr., 2022 and 2025 first-round picks, and 2021 and 2023 second-round picks to the Bulls in exchange for LaVine. The shooting guard has yet to officially demand a trade from the Bulls but Siegel believes that at this point in his career, he would definitely love to play for a team that has real aspirations to win a championship.
“Proving that he can be more than a human-highlight tape dunking on people, Zach LaVine has completely refined his game and has turned into a potential All-Star talent type player. He is more than capable of being the leader on a team, much like he has been with the Bulls over the years, but next to Doncic and Porzingis is where he would thrive. Luka Doncic is the guy in Dallas and while LaVine may be happy with his position in Chicago, the fact that the Bulls have no chance to win immediately has to be eating at him.”
LaVine could be an incredible addition to the Mavericks. If he moves to Dallas, he could make them a far more dangerous team on the offensive end of the floor, giving them a very reliable third scoring option behind Doncic and Porzingis, a decent playmaker, and an elite three-point shooter. Last season, the 25-year-old shooting guard averaged 25.5 points, 4.8 rebounds, 4.2 assists, and 1.5 steals while shooting 45 percent from the field and 38 percent from beyond the arc, per ESPN.
Though he could run the offense and make plays for his teammates, LaVine is also capable of excelling in an off-ball capacity, making him a potentially ideal fit alongside a ball-dominant superstar like Doncic. If the trio of LaVine, Doncic, and Porzingis build good chemistry and manages to stay away from major injuries, the Mavericks would have a better chance of excelling in the loaded Western Conference and bringing home the Larry O’Brien Trophy in the 2020-21 season.
Meanwhile, the proposed deal could also make sense for the Bulls as they continue rebuilding. The four future draft picks would enable them to add more young and promising talents to their roster. With Hardaway’s contract expiring after next season, the Bulls would create enough salary cap space to chase quality free agents in the summer of 2021.
