NBA Rumors: Zach LaVine and Nikola Vučević Trade Markets Expected to Be Reviewed by Bulls | News, scores, highlights, stats and rumors

With the NBA season in full swing, it’s time once again for the Chicago Bulls to let everyone know that Zach LaVine and Nikola Vučević could be available in a trade if anyone is willing to meet his asking price.

According to ESPN’s Jamal Collier, the Bulls are expected to put LaVine and Vučević on the trade block at some point after giving them time to bounce back from their disappointing 2023-2024 seasons.

LaVine and Vučević have been working on the trade block for most of the past year, with no movement yet.

NBA insider Marc Stein reported in July that a Vučević deal is more likely to materialize sometime in the 2024-2025 season. He cited the lack of available big men and Vučević’s contract as more amenable to making a trade happen than LaVine.

Vučević is under contract through next season with salaries of $20 million in 2024-25 and $21.5 million in 2025-26.

Money has been one of the biggest obstacles standing in the way of a LaVine trade. He has two guaranteed years left on his contract, including this season, with salaries of $43 million and $46 million, plus a $48.97 million player option for 2026-2027.

In a ranking of the worst value contracts in the NBA released in March, Spotrac’s Keith Smith had LaVine’s deal as the third worst, mainly due to injuries that have limited his playing time.

LaVine was limited to 25 games last season due to a foot injury that required surgery. Since the 2016/2017 season, he has only reached the threshold of 70 games in a season once (77 in 2022/23).

The addition of Josh Giddey at point guard during the offseason has opened up the offense, creating easier opportunities for LaVine and Vučević.

Vučević is averaging 20.8 points per game with a career-high field goal percentage (56.1) and three-point percentage (45.7) in eight starts. LaVine was healthy to start the season and averaged 22.7 points per game on 45.8 percent three-point shooting in six starts, but he has missed the past two games due to a right adductor strain.

If both players continue to perform well and stay healthy, it will at least increase the Bulls’ bargaining power in talks with other teams leading up to the Feb. 6 trade deadline.