Bulls reported asking price in Zach LaVine trade was ‘giant’

Around the NBA Draft Combine and up through the draft itself, there was plenty of talk about the Bulls testing the trade waters for Zach LaVine. Nothing serious ever came of those discussions.

Maybe part of the reason is the Bulls’ asking price, reports Fred Katz of The Athletic. He adds the Knicks had some level of conversation with the Bulls about LaVine.

New York made contact with the Chicago Bulls about their shooting guard, Zach LaVine, but the asking price for the two-time All-Star was “giant,” as one league source told The Athletic, which is exactly why LaVine remains in Chicago. The Knicks and Bulls, according to league sources, never got close.

Could the Bulls have asked for a Bradley Beal-sized trade package (Chris Paul, Landry Shamet, six second-round picks, four pick swaps)? If your gut reaction is “no way,” just remember that LaVine averaged 24.8 points a game last season with a 60.7 true shooting percentage (similar numbers to Beal), LaVine is two years younger at age 28, neither of them plays much defense, and while LaVine is owed $178 million over the next four years that’s $30 million less than Beal.

The Bulls are unquestionably looking at it that way. Other teams are more likely to respond “We’re not Ishbia” and offer a much smaller haul — and that’s likely what the Knicks were doing. The Knicks don’t see LaVine as the star they want to take a big swing on — Leon Rose is keeping his powder dry and watching developments in Philly — but if they could snag the Bulls’ wing on the cheap, they would have to consider it.

Teams talk about a lot of things in the NBA, having a conversation and having a serious conversation are two very different things. The Knicks never got serious about LaVine.

However, we now know what the Bulls are thinking and how they value LaVine.