NBA rumors: Why a Zach LaVine trade for the Chicago Bulls may be off the table

With the Chicago Bulls trying to keep themselves in the running for the Play-In, it seems like trade rumors could be entirely dead for Zach LaVine. According to Shams Charania who was appearing on Fanduel's TV show Run It Back, LaVine will likely be out for the next one to two weeks with a sprained ankle. The trade market for the All-Star was already extremely limited as franchises didn't want his long-term max contract on their books.

When the former dunk contest champion was injured earlier in the season, teams were hesitant to trade for him until he was fully healthy. His contract and his limited ceiling as a likely third-best veteran on a championship squad have forced teams to reconsider giving up draft picks or positive contracts for him. Teams are likely to require another veteran on a solid contract to take him on and with no guarantees about what he'll be able to provide over the rest of the season, what does Chicago go with LaVine going forward?

What does Chicago do if they can't trade Zach LaVine by the deadline?

In all actuality, Chicago will probably look to trade for Zach LaVine in the offseason if the veteran isn't traded now. His value won't be significantly different at that point but he'll be one season closer to the end of his massive contract. With that fact in mind, the Bulls will likely try to trade LaVine as fast as they can this offseason. The front office may look to build around Coby White and start fresh as a franchise.

This will likely include years where the squad will be one of the worst teams in the league. While the squad probably has years before they can advance past the first round of the playoffs, they may be able to make the playoffs this season. The franchise is currently competing for one of the spots in the Play-In Tournament and will allow the squad to have a chance to make the first round this season.