ESPN outlines ‘appealing’ LaVine trade package for Warriors

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ESPN outlines ‘appealing’ LaVine trade package for Warriors originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

A Chicago Bulls star to the Warriors?

With the Feb. 6 trade deadline nearing, ESPN’s NBA insiders published a story on Wednesday about five mock trades that drastically would shift the league’s landscape heading into the second half of the season.

One trade proposal from ESPN’s Chris Herring involved Chicago’s Zach Lavine packing his bags for the Bay:

“Golden State Warriors get: guard Zach LaVine

Chicago Bulls get: forward Andrew Wiggins, guard Gary Payton II, center Kevon Looney, Golden State’s 2026 first-round pick”

LaVine is averaging 24.0 points, 4.8 rebounds and 4.4 assists over 34 games for the 18-22 Bulls. He fits the Warriors mold, shooting career-bests from the field (51.7 percent) and on 3-point shots (45.0 percent) this season.

The 11-year NBA veteran can help alleviate the strain on Golden State superstar Steph Curry, who has to sustain his 22.7 points, 5.1 rebounds and 6.1 assists nightly just to give his 19-20 Warriors a fighting chance. LaVine offers instant offense, which Golden State doesn’t have outside its future Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame inductee.

“LaVine has thrived when he has called his own number this season, shooting 49.5% and notching 116 points per 100 possessions on iso plays, which put him in the league’s 91st percentile,” Herring wrote. “That is music to any suitor’s ears, particularly a team such as Golden State that wants more reliable production beyond future Hall of Famer Stephen Curry.

“Perhaps most appealing for a club such as the Warriors, though, is the fact that LaVine has shown the ability to effectively play off the ball as an elite catch-and-shoot option and a cutter. Both traits are key to coach Steve Kerr’s offense.”

LaVine sharing backcourt duties with Curry might provide the juice the middling offense needs.

Wiggins, a role player averaging 16.5 points on 45.4 percent shooting with 4.3 rebounds and 2.3 assists, hasn’t moved the needle for Golden State since the franchise won the 2022 NBA Finals. And neither Payton nor Looney are…

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Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/espn-outlines-appealing-lavine-trade-131826819.html

Author : NBC Sports BayArea

Publish date : 2025-01-15 13:18:00

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