The summer of 2023 was rife with Miami Heat trade rumors, of course, as Pat Riley targeted Damian Lillard as its big offseason acquisition. Or perhaps it is better to say Lillard targeted the Heat, because Riley was only mildly interested in a deal in the end. Either way, the Miami Heat trade rumor mill is back up and running, and now comes a new target: Bulls wing Zach LaVine.
According to The Athletic NBA insider Shams Charania, LaVine could be Miami-bound. Or, at least, there is interest from the Heat in a LaVine trade.
With a gathering of GMs happening in Chicago this week as the college basketball season gets underway, Charania reports, Zach LaVine is a hot topic of conversation
NBA teams are probing the availability of two-time All-Star guard Zach LaVine, and there’s been increased openness from the Chicago Bulls and LaVine about exploring a trade, league sources said.
Many of the NBA’s 30 general managers are in Chicago on Tuesday for the annual Champions Classic, the major opening night of the college basketball season, and this is where conversations could begin. The Los Angeles Lakers, Miami Heat and Philadelphia 76ers are expected to have a level of interest, league sources said,” he wrote on Tuesday.
Figure on Zach LaVine, then, to be the subject of Miami Heat trade rumors from now until the deadline for deals arrives in February. There is logic behind the Heat having interest in such a move, of course. LaVine is an ace scorer and two-time All-Star who has blossomed in recent years. He averaged 27.4 points per game in 2020-21, and has willingly sacrificed his offense since the Bulls brought DeMar DeRozan aboard in 2021-22.
Still, LaVine has averaged 24.6 points with 4.4 assists and 4.5 rebounds in his last two seasons, and has done so efficiently, making 48.1% of his shots and 38.1% of his 3-pointers. He is a versatile and talented offensive player, and whenever a player like that arises, he will be linked to the Heat via rumors.
Leave a Reply