Is Zach LaVine still a possibility for the Lakers this offseason?
Zach LaVine, an All-Star player for the Chicago Bulls, may have played for the Los Angeles Lakers if he hadn’t had to undergo season-ending foot surgery. No other than LeBron James, the self-proclaimed “King,” reportedly approved of the team’s proposal to pursue the daring winger.
LaVine couldn’t be moved
The Bulls made a concerted effort to find LaVine a suitor ever since his agents said they would be willing to play elsewhere in November. The former UCLA standout, though, had a bad season owing to injury; a painful foot kept him out of action in December.
c decided to have surgery to fix his injured foot, which put an end to a terrible season in which he averaged a pitiful 19.5 points and 5.2 rebounds a game.
LeBron wanted LaVine on the Lakers to be another playmaker and scoring option, according to a report by Sam Amick, Anthony Slater, and Jovan Buha.
According to the source, “James was also in favor of the Lakers trading for either Zach LaVine or Dejounte Murray, two Klutch Sports clients, in the weeks and months preceding the 2024 trade deadline.”
Despite the fact that LaVine’s name was included in almost every trade rumor up to last February 8 deadline, LaVine’s large salary and injury history prevented Chicago from completing a deal.
Will the Lakers keep trying to get LaVine?
Even though Anthony Davis has been reliable and injury-free and LeBron continues to play at a high level, the Lakers are still in ninth position in the Western Conference rankings. Strangely, LaVine was not listed as an option in the report, which stated that the squad will keep looking for a third star to support their talented combination.
With as many as three first-round picks, four pick swaps, and numerous second-round picks at their disposal, the Lakers want to pursue their search for a third star this summer and hope to make a strong offer for any player who becomes available. The story went on, “According to team sources, the organization has internally explored three names: Trae Young, Donovan Mitchell, and Irving.
