The San Antonio Spurs are in a prime position to rebuild, with ample cap space, a stockpile of draft picks, and a young, generational talent to center their future around. Although it appears the Spurs are taking a cautious approach to their rebuild, they still have the option to accelerate the process. In the past, the Spurs have been linked to two-time All-Star Zach LaVine. Now 29, LaVine is under contract for the next two seasons, with a $48.9 million player option for 2026-27. While he is a prolific scorer, his defensive shortcomings and ball-dominant style have made him less valuable in the NBA. The Chicago Bulls have been attempting to trade him for two seasons, but his hefty contract has deterred potential suitors.
In a mock trade scenario proposed by Bleacher Report, the Spurs, Bulls, Phoenix Suns, and Los Angeles Clippers would orchestrate a deal involving nine players and four draft picks. The Spurs would trade Zach Collins to the Suns and Keldon Johnson to the Bulls, receiving LaVine and an unprotected 2029 first-round pick from Chicago in return. While the idea of acquiring an unprotected pick and an All-Star in exchange for two role players may seem tempting, there’s a downside: LaVine is no longer performing at an All-Star level.
He played only 25 games last season, partly due to injury and partly because he was benched, averaging 23.5 points on 36.9 percent shooting from three-point range over the last two seasons. LaVine’s ball-dominant style and inefficient scoring don’t align well with the Spurs’ current roster, which prioritizes defense and ball movement, even sacrificing the first part of last season to enhance Jeremy Sochan’s passing abilities.
While the transfer appears to be a fantastic deal on paper, it would limit the flexibility that Spurs have been able to establish for themselves and would exclude future, better deals and acquisitions.
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