Grade the Trade: 3-team behemoth lands Zach LaVine in Golden State, Brandon Ingram in Chicago

The new collective bargaining agreement is going to make trade machine musings especially difficult. New restrictions placed on first and second-apron teams mean we cannot send players across country all willy-nilly. There have always been rules — an unimpeachable financial guideline — but now those rules are doubly complicated and infinitely less flexible.

Still, that won't stop the stray stroke of genius in the trade machine. If the right combination of needy teams and restless players can be found, there's still room for blockbuster swaps. Over at Bleacher Report, NBA scribe Greg Swartz has delivered a gorgeous three-team proposal centered on Brandon Ingram, Zach LaVine, and Andrew Wiggins.

The New Orleans Pelicans don't want to pay Brandon Ingram. The Chicago Bulls would love to dump Zach LaVine's contract. And, well, the Golden State Warriors still need a major upgrade after whiffing on Paul George. This trade could accomplish each goal for each team.

Of course, there is hardly ever a trade that works out equally for two teams, much less three. There will be winners and losers. Our task here today is to posit a theory as to which team(s) benefits the most, and which team(s) could end up sullied by regret.

3-team trade sends Zach LaVine to Warriors, Brandon Ingram to Bulls, Nikola Vucevic to Pelicans

Let's start with the Warriors, who passed on the chance to swap Chris Paul and Andrew Wiggins for Zach LaVine early in the offseason, per Bleacher Report's Chris Haynes. This is essentially that trade, minus Paul's now-discarded contract. Instead, Golden State attaches Gary Payton and Kevon Looney — two more expiring deals — to Wiggins to push this trade over the finish line.

Frankly, this is great value for the Dubs. LaVine's reputation has skewed too violently negative in recent years. Even with injury concerns and a troubling contract, LaVine is absolutely a winning player. The Warriors need another source of shot-making on the perimeter. LaVine can bomb 3s, off the catch or pulling up, and he's going to pressure the rim with his absurd straight-line speed.

Despite multiple knee injuries on his ledger, LaVine is a nutty athlete who effortlessly glides through space and time. He improved drastically as a playmaker in recent years and he's a solid stylistic complement to Stephen Curry in the backcourt. The Warriors need another dynamic scorer to elevate the offense. If LaVine is available for virtually nothing aside from the burden of his $138 million salary over the next three years, Golden State should jump at the opportunity. That contract becomes easier to flip with each passing season.

Warriors grade: B+

Now, for the Bulls. Zach LaVine and Nikola Vucevic — two aging vets on bad contracts, with no future in Chicago — are transformed, along with the Blazers' lottery-protected 2025 first-round pick and two distant future second-round picks, into Brandon Ingram and Andrew Wiggins. That's what we call turning garbage into gold.

Even if LaVine deserves more credit than he gets, Brandon Ingram is a drastically better asset. Chicago needs to foot the bill on his next contract, but ingram is 26 years old with room left to improve. He's bound to occupy a featured role in Chicago, which means All-Star consideration and improved trade value down the line.

The Bulls need to add shooting eventually, but Ingram's playmaking versatility on the wing makes for a fascinating pairing with Josh Giddey and Coby White in the backcourt. Chicago also adds spot-up shooting and perimeter defense in Andrew Wiggins, who is two years removed from an All-Star berth. Last season was challenging for Wiggs, but a change of scenery should do him good.

That Wiggins contract isn't great — three years and $84.5 million remaining — but it's not as rough as the LaVine contract. Ingram gets expensive next season, but he's a worthwhile centerpiece for a rebuild. Or, Chicago can recoup more value in a separate trade.

Bulls grade: A-

The Pelicans are probably the least successful of the bunch. Ingram's trade market has evaporated in recent weeks, but he's still a 26-year-old All-Star with an exceptionally modern skill set. He should fetch more than a few scraps in a trade.

New Orleans gets a first-round pick on the surface, but the Blazers' 2025 first is lottery protected. Portland is going to be a lottery team next season, so New Orleans won't get any immediate gratification there. And, while Nikola Vucevic is a perfect fit as the starting center, his contract (two years, $41 million remaining) isn't the greatest. He's on the decline at 33 and won't provide much of an upgrade over Jonas Valanciunas, who New Orleans let walk in free agency. Vucevic more of a stopgap than a solution.

Kevon Looney is a viable backup center for the Pels, while Gary Payton supplies another versatile perimeter defender for the second unit, but this isn't enough to part ways with Ingram — amid fit concerns and unresolved contract talks.

Pelicans grade: C-