As the National Basketball Association free agency start date looms closer, the Chicago Bulls' Zach LaVine has emerged as a top candidate, with some predicting that he could be sent to the Los Angeles Clippers in exchange for Paul George.
That said, not everyone is completely sold on the idea. In fact, Greg Swartz of Bleacher Report can see LaVine heading over to a different California team: the Golden State Warriors.
Right now, the Warriors face an uncertain future as Klay Thompson enters into free agency. If he decides to leave and take his talents elsewhere, LaVine would be an excellent alternative.
"LaVine would be a strong secondary scoring option alongside Stephen Curry, who needs to see his workload begin to decrease heading into his 16th season at age 36," Swartz said. "Golden State could utilize the 29-year-old in on-and-off ball situations, as LaVine proved he can be a premier catch-and-shoot threat (41.6 percent in his healthy 2022-23 season)."
However, if Thompson decides to stay, LaVine would still be a great choice since he can play in both the shooting guard and small forward slots.
"If Thompson signs elsewhere, LaVine slides into his starting shooting guard spot," Swartz explained. "If Thompson is brought back, he could start at small forward alongside Curry, LaVine, Jonathan Kuminga, and Draymond Green."
This truly seems like a win-win situation for both teams. The Warriors likely won't have to give up draft picks or members of their core for LaVine and the Bulls will be able to offload his contract and focus on Josh Giddey. So don't be surprised if you see LaVine signing with a different California team.
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