5 landing spots for Zach Lavine after Bulls reportedly explore trade options for 2x NBA All-Star

Two-time NBA All-Star Zach LaVine's tumultuous time with the Chicago Bulls could end soon. According to reports, LaVine and Montenegrin center Nikola Vucevic are on the trading block as the franchise explores trades for both players.

Rumors about a LaVine trade have persisted for the past few seasons. However, the Bulls seem to be having difficulty finding a trade partner.

LaVine scored over 20 points per game from 2018-19 to 2022-23. That streak was broken last season when the offensive star was limited to only 25 games due to injury and averaged 19.5 ppg. Now that he is healthy, he is on track again to average over 20.

Several teams in the league could benefit from adding an explosive, high-scoring star with a reliable 3-point shot. Here are the top landing spots for Zach LaVine.

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Top 5 landing spots for Zach Lavine

#5 Charlotte Hornets

Zach LaVine in action against Charlotte Hornets (Credits: Getty)

Despite having a promising young star in LaMelo Ball, the Charlotte Hornets continue to struggle, missing the Playoffs every year since 2016. Part of this struggle is the failure to attract stars in free agency.

The Hornets could remedy this by trying to acquire Zach LaVine from the Bulls. Pairing LaVine's explosive offense with Ball's elite court vision could be the key to Charlotte getting back into the postseason. Having both players in their backcourt could help improve their 110.8 offensive rating, which is 22nd in the league.

However, due to LaVine's massive contract, this deal will not be straightforward. The Hornets would likely need to involve a third team to complete it.

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#4 Utah Jazz

Zach LaVine attempts to block a shot from a Utah Jazz player (Credits: IMAGN)

The Utah Jazz seemed destined for a rebuild after Donovan Mitchell and Rudy Gobert's eras. Instead, in August, they signed Lauri Markkanen to a five-year deal, a move that, at the surface, seems to contradict the logic of rebuilding.

That move may make Markkanen more enticing as a trade asset when he becomes eligible for a deal. However, five years is a long time, and the Jazz front office could capitalize on already having a star by doubling down and adding a second All-Star in Zach LaVine.

Adding someone with LaVine's offensive skillset will elevate the Jazz's offense, ranked 26th in the league (108.9).

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#3 Orlando Magic

Zach LaVine during Chicago Bulls's game against Orlando Magic (Credits: IMAGN)

The Orlando Magic are on the brink of becoming legitimate contenders in the Eastern Conference. The emergence of young stars Paolo Banchero, Jalen Suggs and the Wagner brothers (Franz and Moritz Wagner) give them a young core that could be dominating in a few seasons.

The Magic could accelerate their path into title contention by adding someone like Zach LaVine. A package that centers around Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Cole Anthony is enough salary-wise. A few picks would likely need to be included, but the Magic are among the few teams that could absorb LaVine's salary without looking for a third team.

If this experiment does not work, Orlando Magic can rest easy knowing they tried and still managed to keep their young core intact.

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#2 New Orleans Pelicans

Zach LaVine tries to keep the ball in play against the New Orleans Pelicans (Credits: IMAGN)

Despite seemingly having star power, the New Orleans can't seem to find success. Following the Anthony Davis era, the Pelicans have only made the postseason twice (2022 & 2024) and were eliminated in the first round both times.

Injuries have contributed significantly to these struggles. Adding an explosive athlete and go-to scorer in Zach LaVine could mitigate the effects of these injuries.

The Pelicans could retool around Dejounte Murray and Zion Williamson. This would reinvigorate the franchise and give them a better chance of making the Playoffs beyond the first round.

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#1 LA Lakers

Chicago Bulls's Zach LaVine tries to block LeBron James from scoring for LA Lakers (Credits: Getty)

The LA Lakers always seem to be in the conversation whenever the Zach LaVine trade rumors gain traction. Even now, the Lakers remain the top destination for the two-time All-Star.

LeBron James is going to retire soon. This isn't speculation, as James dropped hints about calling it quits. The Lakers could maximize their championship window with James by adding a star like LaVine to their collection of talent.

What makes this difficult is that the Lakers don't have the assets to pull off the trade alone. They'll need to involve at least one more team to acquire LaVine. It could turn them into a legitimate win-now squad if they do, though.