Bulls proposed blockbuster trade moves 'worst contract' to Nuggets

Stuck in the National Basketball Association's middle class, the Chicago Bulls have a lot of work to do as a franchise.

After a 39-43 season in which the Bulls were bounced from the final play-in game by the Miami Heat, the Bulls were faced with a decision. They could run it back with the current core and hope to fare better in a stacked Eastern Conference, or they could blow it up and start anew.

The Bulls seemed to start heading in the latter direction when they traded former All-Star DeMar DeRozan to the Sacramento Kings in July. But they still have some high-priced talent, including one contract that could impede other necessary signings down the road.

Shooting guard Zach LaVine, who signed a five-year, $215 million extension with the Bulls in 2022, is widely regarded as having one of the most overpriced contracts in the league. It will be difficult for the Bulls to get out from under that deal, but one writer believes they can do so.

In a Friday article of "realistic" NBA trades, Bleacher Report's Zach Buckley proposed sending LaVine and a 2029 first-round pick swap to the Denver Nuggets in exchange for Michael Porter Jr. and Zeke Nnaji.

"The three-time MVP (Nikola Jokic) might appreciate having another shot-maker and shot-creator of LaVine's caliber," said. "As brutal as his contract is, his offensive punch is powerful."

LaVine, 29, still has the capability to be a very productive scorer for a good NBA team. He's a two-time All-Star, averages over 20 points per game in his 10-year career, and averaged 27.4 points for the Bulls in his peak season of 2020-2021.

But LaVine has regressed in each of the past three seasons, and the Bulls don't appear to have enough talent around him to contend for a title even if he's playing like the best version of himself.

Offloading LaVine's contract to a team like Denver that would use him in a more limited role might have a more positive impact on the Bulls' future. But it takes two to tango, and the Bulls would need the Nuggets' approval to make the deal a reality.

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