How this season’s D’Angelo Russell trade basically threw another potential Lakers trade ‘in the garbage’

The Los Angeles Lakers made a splash last month by trading veteran guard D’Angelo Russell and other pieces to the Brooklyn Nets for a return headlined by veteran forward Dorian Finney-Smith.

Finney-Smith has been a nice piece for the Lakers since coming over from the Nets, and there’s no reason to believe that L.A. regrets the deal.

However, for any fans who have long hoped to see the Lakers make a deal for Chicago Bulls veteran Zach LaVine, last month’s trade between L.A. and Brooklyn likely wasn’t a good thing. The Chicago Sun-Times‘ Joe Cowley offered some intel.

“The Sun-Times reported last month that there was ‘light momentum’ in trade talks with Denver, and while they weren’t completely taken off the table they have stalled,” Cowley wrote regarding trade talks between the Bulls and Denver Nuggets. “A source also said that there was early-season talk about LaVine and the Lakers, but the puzzle didn’t have the right pieces at the time. With Los Angeles moving the D’Angelo Russell contract a few weeks ago for Dorian Finney-Smith, the puzzle was all but thrown in the garbage.”

The perception of LaVine as a player has seemingly taken a hit in recent years, but he’s currently playing some of the best basketball of his career.

Across 33 games (all starts) this season, he is averaging 23.6 points, 4.6 rebounds and 4.4 assists per game on remarkable efficiency. He’s shooting 51.8 percent from the field and 44.4 percent from beyond the arc.

The Bulls are fighting mediocrity again this season, but they do currently hold a play-in spot in the Eastern Conference. They’re just below .500 at 18-20.

LaVine’s contract is one factor that makes his situation complex. He’s making about $43 million this season, will make nearly $46 million next season and has a player option for the 2026-27 season at around $49 million. That makes him a tough player to trade for, even if he is having a phenomenal season for Chicago.

For now, it seems like Lakers fans shouldn’t count on L.A. making a push for the 29-year-old. LaVine’s name has been linked to the Lakers before, but circumstances are constantly changing.

L.A. is 20-16 this season and currently holds a playoff spot in the Western Conference. Right now, the Lakers are dealing with a tough time amid the wildfire crisis in Southern California, which has caused two of their games to be postponed. Their next game is scheduled for Monday against the San Antonio Spurs, something that will be worth monitoring in the coming days.