The Los Angeles Lakers are no longer one of the suitors for Chicago Bulls’ All-Star Zach LaVine. According to ESPN’s Dave McMenamin, the Lakers are out of the LaVine sweepstakes and are instead looking to upgrade on the point guard position.
It was previously reported that LaVine and the Bulls agreed to explore trade options, with the Lakers being mentioned as a strong suitor. However, the talks between the two teams never got off the ground, and the LA team is now shifting their focus to other targets.
During his appearance on Sports Center, McMenamin said that LaVine to the Lakers trade is “not happening”.
“Laker fans, if you’re thinking about the UCLA Bruin coming back to Los Angeles to help this team, don’t count on it. You’re gonna look at the Lakers serving the market for point guard help,” said McMenamin.
McMenamin mentioned several names that the Lakers could pursue instead, including Washington Wizards’ Tyus Jones and Utah Jazz’s Collin Sexton.
Many analysts believe that Zach LaVine was never a good fit for the Lakers due to his shoot-first mentality and below-average defense. The Lakers would be better off with someone who can take a back seat on offense while stars LeBron James and Anthony Davis run the show while being engaged on the other side of the ball.
The Lakers are currently 10th in the Western Conference with a 21-21 record and 9.0 games behind the first-placed Minnesota Timberwolves.
