The talk of a potential Zach LaVine trade won’t come to rest until he’s traded or the February 6 trade deadline, whichever occurs first. However, hearing of LaVine trade talk from February onward wouldn’t be surprising. The 6-foot-5 swingman has been discussed as a trade target for well over a year.
Perhaps the closest Chicago came to finding a suitable trade partner occurred last month. About a week before Christmas, The Athletic reported that the Denver Nuggets are “actively canvassing the league for a significant trade.” The player at the top of Denver’s list? LaVine. The 29-year-old is reportedly the Nuggets’ primary focus.
Despite Denver’s interest in LaVine, numerous hurdles have prevented the two sides from coming to an agreement. First, it was reported that the Bulls are unwilling to acquire Denver’s Zeke Nnaji. While the Nuggets are inclined to move on from the 6-foot-9 big man, Chicago wants no part of Nnaji’s four-year, $32 million contract. Although Nnaji’s contract decreases from about $9 million this season to $7.4 million by 2027-28, his play has yet to justify the extension he signed just over a year ago.
LaVine to Denver is becoming less likely
To further put a damper on trade talks, HoopsHype’s Michael Scotto stated, “There’s been a growing pessimism that Chicago Bulls two-time All-Star Zach LaVine would be traded to the Denver Nuggets in a package for Michael Porter Jr.” Scotto reiterated Chicago’s unwillingness to absorb Nnaji’s contract while adding the Bulls would then redirect the Denver big man to a third team if he were to be acquired. However, to redirect Nnaji, Chicago would likely have to attach draft capital—a non-negotiable for the rebuilding Bulls.
There’s reason to wonder why Denver couldn’t facilitate a trade involving Nnaji to a third party such as the salary cap-rich Detroit Pistons. But, as Scotto pointed out, the Nuggets lack the future draft capital to initiate such a trade. Denver only possesses four tradeable draft picks, with all four being future first-rounders. The lack of draft capital severely handicaps the Nuggets’ trade prowess.
Second, Scotto provided insight into the Nuggets’ brass opinions of a Jamal Murray and LaVine backcourt. There have reportedly been “internal questions about whether would coexist effectively on both sides of the ball.” Denver’s worries about a Murray and LaVine backcourt are reasonable. Neither player is a plus defender. The Nuggets are 3.5 points per 100 possessions worse defensively with Murray on the court, while the Bulls are 1.5 points worse with LaVine on the floor.
It’s easier to foresee LaVine and Murray coexisting offensively. Both players shoot above 40.0 percent on catch-and-shoot triples. Furthermore, LaVine excels as a cutter and lob threat—two qualities reigning MVP Nikola Jokic would enhance by using his extraordinary passing instincts.
Nonetheless, it’s telling that both the Bulls and Nuggets have qualms about a potential LaVine-for-Porter Jr. swap. After zeroing in on LaVine just over two weeks ago, Denver is likely to focus its efforts elsewhere. Near the end of Scotto’s blurb on LaVine, he mentioned that several NBA scouts and executives have mentioned Miami Heat forward Jimmy Butler as a more plausible trade candidate for the Nuggets.
