Bulls proposed blockbuster trade could solve LaVine, DeRozan crisis instantly

Colin Keane

Bulls proposed blockbuster trade could solve LaVine, DeRozan crisis instantly image

The Chicago Bulls have been blessed with the incredible opportunity to move on from Zach LaVine and DeMar DeRozan in a single trade.

It's a moment Chicago must seize.

The escalating LaVine tensions have become like a termite problem for the Bulls, gnawing away daily at their rebuild and threatening to topple the pillars of their new culture.

The DeRozan situation has been similarly distasteful for Chicago.

Now, the Bulls can move on from both players in one fell swoop; that is if they follow the instructions of Bulls beat writer Will Gottlieb.

On Thursday, Gottlieb proposed a three-team trade for Chicago involving the Sacramento Kings and Utah Jazz.

In the deal, the Bulls would send LaVine to Utah and DeRozan to Sacramento (via sign-and-trade), receiving John Collins and Kevin Huerter in return.

The Jazz would walk away from the trade with three first-round picks (from Sacramento), Jevon Carter, and Harrison Barnes, in addition to LaVine.

The Kings would receive prized asset Lauri Markkanen on top of DeRozan.

Full details of the proposed trade indicate that all three teams involved would remain under the luxury tax.

This trade would be unspeakably beneficial to the Bulls.

The idea of finding a landing spot for LaVine while simultaneously getting a return for DeRozan (a disgruntled free agent) represents the accomplishment of two increasingly unreachable goals for Chicago.

What's more, John Collins and Kevin Huerter would be stellar acquisitions for the Bulls, Collins filling a positional need and Huerter providing much-needed shooting.

The 26-year-old Collins and Huerter (25) also fit perfectly on Chicago's new youthful timeline.

The icing on the cake for the Bulls would be to get off of Jevon Carter's contract and create a little more space on a Chicago depth chart that is overcrowded with point guards.

In a social media world of outlandish NBA trade ideas created left and right, Gottlieb's three-team proposal is not only plausible but too realistic to be true.

Alas, Gottlieb does not work in the Bulls' front office, and Chicago's toxic relationship with LaVine promises to continue for far longer than anyone deserves.

More MLB: Knicks surprise blockbuster trade would land Bulls’ four-time All-Star

Colin Keane

Colin Keane Photo

Colin Keane is a contributing journalist for The Sporting News. Born in Illinois, Colin grew up in Massachusetts as the third of four brothers. For his high school education, Colin attended St. Mark's School (Southborough, MA), where he played basketball and soccer and served as student body president. He went on to receive a Bachelor of Arts in English Literature from Villanova University. Colin currently resides in Williamsburg, Brooklyn.