Golden State Warriors: Former GM hesitant on trade for Chicago Bulls star
With both teams battling through the first month of the NBA regular season, the Golden State Warriors and Chicago Bulls could be tracking towards trade activity before February's trade deadline.
That's particularly the case for the Bulls who have perennially underdelivered given the talent at their disposal. Having made the playoffs just once over the past six seasons, Chicago is on the precipice of blowing it up.
A former NBA General Manager believes the Golden State Warriors would be hesitant in trading for Chicago Bulls guard Zach LaVine.
The Bulls have a number of players that rival teams could covet, including impactful role players Alex Caruso and Torrey Craig. Zach LaVine is undoubtedly the biggest name though, with the 28-year-old's tenure in Chicago expected to be coming towards an end.
LaVine could be an attractive proposition for a number of teams, but speaking recently on The Hoop Genius Podcast, former New York Knicks' General Manager Scott Perry indicated the Warriors should tread carefully around any potential trade for the two-time All-Star.
"“The only way I’m going to consider doing that is if I believe that getting Zach LaVine is going to push me closer to getting to the Conference Finals and Finals and that’s a question they got to be able to answer," Perry said."
The podcast panel discussed a trade centered around veteran shooting-guard Klay Thompson, young forward Jonathan Kuminga and future picks, but Perry warned the Warriors against trading the talented Kuminga.
Any Golden State interest in LaVine would stem from their need for a secondary scorer to supplement superstar Stephen Curry. The two-time MVP is averaging 29.7 points per game, with no other player averaging more than 15.
LaVine is currently averaging 22.3 points, 5.0 rebounds and 3.3 assists, shooting 45.4% from the floor and 35% from three-point range. The high-flyer has averaged at least 23.7 points in each his last five NBA seasons prior to this one.
The 2014 lottery pick is making $40.1 million this season, and is under contract for another two seasons plus a player option for the 2026-27 season.