NBA Rumors: Lakers shopping big name, Brandon Ingram update, Bulls resignation

With several potential contributors still available in NBA Free Agency, we have not heard the last of this offseason. Focus will momentarily shift toward the Paris Olympics for many fans, but front offices remain hard at work fleshing out rosters and seeking advantages over the competition.

Here are the latest NBA rumors to fuel your weekend.

NBA Rumors: Bulls 'resigned' to starting season with Zach LaVine on roster

The Chicago Bulls are finally embracing a rebuild — or at least a retool. DeMar DeRozan left for the Sacramento Kings, while the Alex Caruso-Josh Giddey trade signals a desire to get younger and build toward the future. A timeline shift was long overdue for this Bulls squad, but there are still hurdles to clear.

Zach LaVine, the other half of a stale twofer Chicago formed with DeRozan, remains with the team. He has roughly three years and $135 million left on his contract, a number that has sufficiently spooked every other team in the new CBA era. According to Marc Stein, the Bulls are "resigned" to starting the season with LaVine on the roster, despite concerted efforts to move him.

"League sources say that the Bulls are thus resigned to fact that they will likely be forced to start the new season with LaVine on the roster and take it a step further by trying to help him rebuild some trade value after months of fruitless efforts to find a new home via trade — and after a foot injury and eventual surgery limited the 29-year-old to 25 games last season."

LaVine is understandably tough to sell to opposing front offices. He has a lengthy injury history and that contract is brutal, especially as stricter financial restrictions take root around the league. Still, the extent to which LaVine's value has fallen off — to the point that Chicago can't trade him with draft picks attached as a pure salary dump — feels a little absurd.

When healthy, LaVine is still very much a winning player with star-level upside. He's an effortless athlete, comfortable bombing deep pull-up 3s or gliding to the rim for acrobatic finishes. His burst, acceleration, and finesse are difficult to come by. It's the stuff of a truly elite scorer.

In 25 games before injuries derailed his 2023-24 campaign, LaVine averaged 19.5 points, 5.2 rebounds, and 3.9 assists on .452/.349/.854 splits in 34.9 minutes. That was viewed as borderline catastrophic production for the two-time All-Star, so LaVine is due for a rebound. Especially with the deck cleared and a chance to lead Chicago's offense on a nightly basis.

If LaVine performs up to his usual standards, teams ought to be more amenable to a trade by the deadline.

NBA Rumors: No momentum toward trade or extension for Pelicans' Brandon Ingram

The New Orleans Pelicans are another team that has spent its summer trying — and failing — to trade a key piece. Brandon Ingram floundered in the postseason and he's due for a four-year, $208 million max extension. That is, assuming the Pelicans or anybody else is actually willing to offer it.

Despite its best efforts, New Orleans has been unable to find suitable value for Ingram on the trade front. There is no doubt interest in the 27-year-old, but for example, the Atlanta Hawks weren't willing to part with Clint Capela nor offer Ingram his desired contract number. That ought to tell you where Ingram's value is league-wide.

New Orleans and Ingram probably start the season together on tenuous terms. While trade talks are sure to continue in some capacity, there doesn't appear to be any momentum on that front. There isn't much buzz around an extension either, per ESPN's Zach Lowe.

"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."

So, Pelicans fans, get ready to stew in the discomfort of Ingram's unresolved future for a while more. Barring a shocking trade at this point, when the marketplace appears utterly silent, the two sides will remain unhappily married at the beginning of next season. The question is, can New Orleans find a trade partner before the deadline, or will the Pels cave and offer an extension? If the latter occurs, does Ingram acquiesce to less than the max, or does he hold out for top dollar and risk a disappointing free agency next summer?

Only time will tell what strategies Ingram and the Pels deploy. Despite concerns about his inconsistency from 3-point range and his off-ball limitations, Ingram averaged 20.8 points, 5.1 rebounds, and 5.7 assists on .492/.355/.801 splits last season. He's productive, and he has kept New Orleans afloat in Zion Williamson's absence before. There is value to be mined here, especially at the very beginning of his prime window.

NBA Rumors: Lakers shopping D'Angelo Russell amid front office's galling inaction

The Los Angeles Lakers' front office has been shockingly (well, not shockingly, but inexcusably) inactive this offseason. With LeBron James entering what is quite possibly the final contract of his esteemed NBA career, the Lakers have made precisely zero trades or free agent signings. A couple rotation pieces left, but Los Angeles' only meaningful additions to date are Dalton Knecht and Bronny James. Their 2024 NBA Draft picks.

Neither was particularly impressive in Summer League, so the Lakers' offseason of growth is off to a great start (sarcastic). Rob Pelinka has done few things better than sitting on his hands and blaming a lack of funding or financial flexibility under the CBA. We are, of course, talking about the Lakers, basketball's premier franchise, with the most popular U.S. athlete on the roster and a recent championship under their belt. It's not unreasonable to expect aggression as James guns for one last NBA title shot.

While the Lakers have been inactive to date, there is still time for a meaningful trade or signing. According to Jovan Buha of The Athletic, there is even trade bait actively chumming up NBA phone lines. Ever since D'Angelo Russell opted into the final year of his contract, worth $18.7 million, he has been floated in trade talks.

This is perhaps the most obvious route to significant change for the Lakers. Russell won't return much in a vacuum, but teams looking to get off of long-term money could use Russell as a means to an end. The Lakers can also attach draft picks or prospects, such as Knecht or Jalen Hood-Schifino, to pique the interest of potential trade partners.

Los Angeles was recently connected to Brooklyn Nets wing Cam Johnson, which would almost certainly require Russell's salary. The beleaguered point guard spent the best years of his career in Brooklyn, so perhaps there's something brewing there.