Trade Proposal Sends Zach LaVine To Lakers, D’Angelo Russell To Bulls
“It might pain the Bulls’ brass to let go of LaVine and not get a draft pick in return, but if draft picks were available for the oft-injured and overpaid scorer, a deal surely would have been done by now,” Buckley wrote. “Chicago could instead view a lottery win as enough of a draft reward to just be done with the LaVine era and allow its next ballyhooed prospect to start their career without that cloud of uncertainty hanging above the Windy City.
“This return isn’t much, but it does deliver three usable rotation players who are all on more reasonable contracts than LaVine. Even if the Bulls don’t plan on keeping all of them, each would be far easier to trade than LaVine is now. And if they decide to finally blow up this roster, any one of the three might help deliver assets for an overdue rebuild.”
The Lakers lost to the Denver Nuggets in the first round of the 2024 playoffs in five games.
Meanwhile, the Bulls missed the postseason for the second consecutive year.
LaVine has been linked to the Lakers several times since he has the same agent (Rich Paul of Klutch Sports Group) as LeBron James and Anthony Davis. The Bulls will try to trade LaVine this offseason after failing to find a taker for him this season, numerous NBA sources told Hoops Wire.
LaVine played in just 25 games this season. He underwent season-ending right foot surgery in February. The two-time All-Star and two-time Slam Dunk Contest champion averaged 19.5 points, 5.2 rebounds and 3.9 assists while shooting 45.2% from the field, 34.9% from beyond the arc and 85.4% from the free-throw line.
Russell averaged 18.0 points, 3.1 rebounds and 6.3 assists for the Lakers this season while shooting 45.6% from the floor, 41.5% from 3 and 82.8% from the free-throw line. He can become an unrestricted free agent this offseason by declining his 2024-25 player option.
Both Vincent and Vanderbilt were injured for most of the season, so neither player has much trade value around the league.
According to NBA insiders Sam Amick, Anthony Slater and Jovan Buha of The Athletic, LeBron James was in support of the Lakers trading for LaVine in the weeks and months leading into this year’s trade deadline.
This article first appeared on Hoops Wire and was syndicated with permission.
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Former All-Star shares concerns of potential Knicks burnout
The New York Knicks secured a win over the Indiana Pacers in the opening game of their second-round series. Jalen Brunson once again proved himself to be the difference-maker. However, head coach Tom Thibodeau continues to operate with a shortened rotation, playing just seven players heavy minutes. During an exclusive interview, former NBA All-Star Roy Hibbert expressed his concern to me that the Knicks could burn out if they progress deeper into the playoffs. “I’m worried about the longevity of the Knicks with only playing seven players with Tibbs, but he has those guys locked in,” Hibbert said. Thibodeau is missing one of his core rotation players. Julius Randle has been ruled out for the season due to injury. Had he been available, the veteran head coach may have stuck with an eight-man rotation, which is fairly standard for the postseason. Nevertheless, the Knicks are finding ways to win. Their stringent brand of defense is stifling their opponents.
New York is controlling the temp of games. OG Anunoby’s addition has made them a fearsome defensive unit that can look impenetrable at times. The Pacers must find a way to take control of the tempo if they’re going to make an impact on the series. Of course, the key to overcoming New York is finding ways to limit Brunson’s influence on the game. You can either shut down the role players around him or force him to shoot tougher shots.
That’s where fatigue can come into play and potentially hurt New York’s ability to remain competitive. If the Knicks can sustain their heavy workload and Brunson continues his current production, Thibodeau could lead his team into the Eastern Conference Finals, where they could potentially face the Boston Celtics. It’s unlikely New York could overcome Boston this season, but it would be proof of the progress the franchise is making. Of course, whenever the Knicks are eventually eliminated, questions will be asked about Thibodeau’s minutes management and the strain it puts on his stars.
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Red Sox designate out-of-options IF for assignment
The Red Sox will designate infielder Zack Short for assignment, reports Julian McWilliams of the Boston Globe. Boston also optioned right-hander Naoyuki Uwasawa to Triple-A Worcester. The moves clear active roster spots for Romy Gonzalez and Nick Pivetta, each of whom will return from the injured list before Wednesday’s game in Atlanta. Short is out of minor league options, so the Sox didn’t have the ability to send him to Worcester without taking him off the 40-man roster. That out-of-options status contributed to him landing in Boston in the first place. The Mets designated Short for assignment two weeks ago. Boston acquired him for cash on May
1. The 28-year-old appeared twice for the Sox, going hitless with four strikeouts in seven at-bats. He has only tallied 19 plate appearances all season between New York and Boston. The majority of Short’s big league playing time came with the Tigers a year ago. In 253 trips to the plate, he hit .204/.292/.339 with an elevated 26.1% strikeout rate. Short drew a decent number of walks but didn’t make much of an impact when he put the ball in play. Teams have nevertheless been intrigued by his ability to handle multiple spots on the infield.
He has nearly 600 innings of career shortstop work and more than 200 frames at both second and third base. His defensive grades are mixed. Statcast has given him average marks for his second and third base work while rating him as a below-average shortstop. Defensive Runs Saved has been more favorable, crediting him with average shortstop defense and well above-average work at the keystone. The Sox will trade Short or place him on waivers within the next few days.
He has yet to clear waivers despite being designated for assignment by each of Detroit, New York and now Boston since the end of last season. Pivetta will take the ball Wednesday, his first MLB start in a little more than a month. The right-hander suffered a flexor strain, but the Sox expressed confidence it was a mild issue that wouldn’t necessitate a long-term absence. He’ll rejoin a rotation that has been arguably the best in the majors in 2024. Pivetta, an impending free agent, was brilliant in his first two starts. He allowed only one run in 11 innings with 13 strikeouts and one walk.
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Joe Burrow shares ‘support’ for Bengals who requested trades
The Bengals had one of their best players on each side of the ball request a trade this offseason. Wide receiver Tee Higgins and edge-rusher Trey Hendrickson have both said they prefer to move on to a new team if Cincinnati will not give them the long-term security they’re looking for. While potentially losing both players could derail a team that seems ready to contend for a Super Bowl in 2024, quarterback Joe Burrow said he will support them no matter what. “Those guys have their business they need to take care of. I support them in every way,” Burrow said, via Geoff Hobson of the team’s website.
“Both those guys have earned everything that has come to them and more. I’ll support them all the way through it. Whatever they feel like is best for their career. That’s for them and their agents and their families to decide.” Higgins requested to be traded in March after being placed with the franchise tag. He hoped to stay in Cincinnati but revealed the team has not had any talks about a contract extension in about a year. Although, it seems Higgins has come to terms that he’ll be playing for the Bengals in 2024 after they were not interested in entertaining his request. “I do anticipate it,”
Higgins told WLWT. The 25-year-old has yet to sign his franchise tender, however, leaving his future with the team still up in the air. Hendrickson requested a trade in April intending to get a long-term commitment from Cincinnati. He has two years left on his current deal, but neither year has guaranteed money attached to it. Like Higgins, the Bengals said they were not willing to fulfill Hendrickson’s trade request either, but his future in Cincinnati will still be in doubt until the situation is resolved. Burrow may be fully supportive of Higgins and Hendrickson for now, but at the same time, he knows both players make the Bengals a much better team when on the field. Good thing there’s still plenty of time between now and the start of the 2024 season.
“We are here to win football games. I really hope both those guys are here next year because we are a better football team with both of them,” Burrow added. “They are both great locker room guys, too. They are going to do what they’ve got to do, but when the time comes for them to come back, if that time comes, we are going to welcome them back and hit our stride.”