The Chicago Bulls are undergoing a youth movement but still retain elements of their previous roster. Notably, two-time former All-Stars Nikola Vucevic and Zach LaVine remain potential trade assets, both carrying substantial multi-year contracts.
Vucevic is in the second year of a three-year, $60 million contract, while LaVine is in the third year of a five-year, $215.1 million deal, making him a challenging player for the Bulls to trade.
Bleacher Report’s Greg Swartz has suggested that the New Orleans Pelicans could be a potential destination for LaVine in exchange for Brandon Ingram. In an August 29 article on potential trade targets for every NBA team, Swartz mentioned that such a trade could help the Bulls offload LaVine’s contract. At 26, Ingram could either contribute to a rebuild in Chicago or create valuable cap space with his expiring $36 million contract, alleviating some offensive pressure from players like Coby White and Josh Giddey.
Just a quick Brandon Ingram midrange shotmaking appreciation post pic.twitter.com/w4xr7efVQc
— Brett Usher (@UsherNBA) August 14, 2024
In the 2023-24 season, Brandon Ingram averaged 20.8 points, 5.7 assists, and 5.1 rebounds for the Pelicans, shooting 49.2% from the field and 35.5% from three-point range. He is currently in the final year of a five-year, $158.2 million contract. Despite being a frequent subject of trade rumors earlier in the 2024 offseason, much like the Bulls with Zach LaVine, the Pelicans have struggled to find a suitable trade partner for Ingram.
Speculation about his fit alongside the Pelicans’ stars, particularly with the addition of Dejounte Murray, has only intensified trade discussions. However, in late July, Zach Lowe of “The Lowe Post” noted that the trade buzz surrounding Ingram had diminished. On the July 26 episode, Lowe mentioned, “I haven’t really heard much buzz that the Pelicans are psyched about giving him that massive of an extension. I also haven’t heard much buzz … about Brandon Ingram being traded anywhere imminently.”
Proposed 3-Team Bulls Trade Lands Brandon Ingram From Pelicans, Andrew Wiggins From Warriors
In July, Greg Swartz proposed a three-team trade involving the Chicago Bulls, Golden State Warriors, and New Orleans Pelicans. In this scenario, Zach LaVine would head to the Warriors, while the Bulls would receive forward Andrew Wiggins and Brandon Ingram. Meanwhile, the Pelicans would acquire Gary Payton II, Kevon Looney, and Nikola Vucevic. Additionally, the Bulls would part with their lottery-protected future first-round pick from the Portland Trail Blazers, as well as second-round picks in 2028 and 2029.
The proposed trade breakdown would be as follows:
**Bulls receive:**
– Andrew Wiggins
– Brandon Ingram
**Pelicans receive:**
– Gary Payton II
– Kevon Looney
– Nikola Vucevic
– 2025 first-round pick (top-14 protected via POR from CHI)
– 2028 second-round pick (via CHI)
– 2029 second-round pick (via CHI)
**Warriors receive:**
– Zach LaVine
Wiggins, currently in the second year of a four-year, $109 million contract, averaged 13.2 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 1.7 assists during the 2023-24 season. This deal would slightly reduce the Bulls’ salary cap obligations and move them closer to creating cap space by shedding some of their long-term contracts. However, it would also create a logjam on the wings, with players like Patrick Williams and rookie first-round pick Matas Buzelis needing significant playing time.
Despite this potential trade, interest in Zach LaVine across the league has been lukewarm. Concerns stem not only from his hefty contract but also from his extensive injury history, including knee issues and a foot injury that required season-ending surgery. LaVine’s performance in the 2023-24 season, where he averaged 19.5 points on 57.8% true shooting, marked a decline compared to his 24.8 points per game on 60.7% true shooting in the previous season.
The Warriors, among other teams, reportedly showed no interest in trading for LaVine or Ingram. As reported by Shams Charania, Tony Jones, and Anthony Slater of The Athletic on August 7, “They’ve shown no appetite to enter the Zach LaVine or Brandon Ingram market.”
