Though it is unclear how it would actually occur, there have been conversations recently about Chicago Bulls star guard Zach LaVine joining the Los Angeles Lakers this offseason.
LaVar Ball recently stated that LaVine is going to leave the Bulls this summer and continue his career in Los Angeles.
LaVine may be the biggest name to hit the unrestricted free-agency market this summer, and he is likely to garner tons of interest all over the league. While the Lakers have little wiggle room at the moment, it seems LaVine has a soft spot for the iconic franchise.
When he was recently seen by a TMZ reporter, the topic of continuing his career in Los Angeles came up. LaVine couldn’t hide his smile when discussing the possibility.
When asked if he had anything to say to Lakers fans directly, LaVine had a simple message.
“I’ve always been a big fan,” he said.
LaVine would obviously be a massive pickup for the Lakers. He’s become a true star in recent years. This season, he averaged 24.4 points, 4.6 rebounds and 4.5 assists per game.
Still, the financial reality for the Lakers would make any acquisition of a player of LaVine’s caliber through free agency a near impossibility. Some have discussed the potential of a sign-and-trade deal to help the Lakers land LaVine, but that also seems unlikely at the moment.
The truth is that whenever there is a star on the open market, the Lakers seem to be part of the conversation. That’s true whether or not the team is a realistic landing spot.
Right now, the chances that LaVine ends up with the Lakers do not seem all that strong. However, as NBA fans certainly know, crazier things have happened.
