3 disastrous Zach LaVine trades the Bulls need to avoid

No. 1 Zach LaVine trade Bulls should avoid: Hawks for Dejounte Murray

Of the proposed trades, this is probably the best value for Chicago. A recent All-Star, a legitimate rotation wing, and a top-15 pick. The Hawks, meanwhile, form the most potent offensive backcourt in the East and vow to figure out the defensive end at a later date. Respectable, given where the team was last season.

Dig a little deeper, however, and there’s still very little making this worth Chicago’s while. Dejounte Murray is an expiring contract and he definitely won’t re-sign with the Bulls. Unless he does, locking them into another few years of mediocrity with a playmaking guard who has never actually played competitive basketball.

Bogey is good, but he’s under contract for at least three more years with an annual average of $17 million. It will only get more difficult to trade role players with that contract value as the new CBA kicks into effect. The Bulls don’t need solid, slightly overpaid rotational wings if the goal is to rebuild. If the goal is to compete for the No. 8 seed, then why trade LaVine?

The Bulls should be looking to get multiple young players and future assets for LaVine. He’s still good enough to command legitimate value. Bufkin was a top-15 pick, but he’s a defense-first guard who doesn’t project as the kind of prospect who can spearhead a rebuild. He’s better-positioned next to another elite playmaker on a team trying to win, like Atlanta.