Grade the Trade: Mavs help Bulls facilitate 3-team Zach Lavine mock blockbuster

It might finally be the breaking point for the Chicago Bulls. Since acquiring Zach LaVine from the Minnesota Timberwolves in 2017, Chicago has only made the playoffs once. And to make matters worse, the Bulls have only recorded one winning season.

The Bulls haven't just relied on the All-Star guard since he arrived in Chicago. Over the past few seasons, the Bulls have acquired numerous talented assets.

In 2021, Chicago traded former seventh-overall pick, Wendell Carter, and two future first-round picks to the Orlando Magic to acquire Nikola Vucevic.

Grade the Trade: Mavs help Bulls facilitate 3-team Zach Lavine mock blockbuster

A few months later, Chicago made separate transactions to further improve their playoff chances. The Bulls received guard Lonzo Ball from the Los Angeles Lakers. Three days later, the Bulls added forward DeMar DeRozan in a blockbuster deal with the San Antonio Spurs.

Subsequently, the Bulls found their most success in the 2021-22 season since 2015. The Bulls finished with a 46-36 record and entered the postseason a sixth seed. However, the Bulls' playoff run was short-lived. The Milwaukee Bucks only needed five games to knock the Bulls out of the playoffs.

Coming off a great season, expectations were high in Chicago. Nevertheless, the Bulls completely underachieved a season ago. Finishing with a 40-42 record and missing out on the playoffs altogether.

Now, three weeks into the 2023-24 campaign, it's been reported that the Bulls are willing to blow it up. And according to Shams Charania, the rebuild will likely include their best asset, LaVine.

While the Lakers might be the likeliest buyer, Charania reported (subscription required) that the Philadelphia 76ers and Miami Heat are also in the running.

Here, we'll discuss a hypothetical three-team trade involving the Bulls, the Heat, and the Dallas Mavericks. Miami's inclusion is because of the Heat's summer-long interest in Damian Lillard. Now, it's time for Miami to get their third star with the help of the Mavericks.

Dallas wouldn't be the best fit for the star guard, so they get involved as the third team. Nico Harrison always seems to be aggressive at the trade deadline, so the Mavericks could have a new player on their squad by the time the All-Star Game rolls around.

Dallas Mavericks help Chicago Bulls begin rebuild by trading Zach LaVine

In this hypothetical deal, the Dallas Mavericks would receive forwards, Patrick Williams and Duncan Robinson. Williams seems like a surefire trade piece after a disappointing start to the season.

Meanwhile, the Chicago Bulls would receive a plethora of players and picks. Tyler Herro, Jaime Jaquez Jr., Jaden Hardy, and Maxi Kleber would all make their way to the Midwest. Additionally, Chicago would acquire a first-rounder, a second-rounder, and the better of their own and Miami's 2030 first-round draft pick.

Last but not least, the Miami Heat would receive Bull star swingman Zach LaVine and Mavs big man Richaun Holmes.

Dallas adds two forwards with altering skillsets. Williams is a former fourth-overall draft pick who has yet to put it all together in the league. The young forward has the potential to be a top-tier 3-and-D forward in the NBA.

Aside from Williams, Robinson would be on his way to Dallas. At this point, Robinson's role in the NBA is solidified. He's a knockdown 3-point shooter who doesn't provide much else. However, his sole skill is enough for all 30 teams to covet his archetype.

Despite trading away a franchise centerpiece in LaVine, Chicago would acquire multiple young assets and draft picks to begin the rebuild. Herro, Jaquez Jr., and Hardy are all under 24 years old. Herro would fill in for the departed LaVine, while Jaquez Jr. and Hardy would provide offense off the bench and have potential as long-term starters.

As for the Heat, adding LaVine is likely the final piece of the puzzle. Miami went after Damian Lillard all offseason, but to no avail, as the Milwaukee Bucks swooped in to acquire Lillard's services.

Here, the Heat would add LaVine to pair with Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo. Also, another backup big to bolster the center rotation. Holmes joins LaVine in South Beach.

Grading the trade for the Chicago Bulls

This trade marks the beginning of the end for the Bulls. After multiple years of disappointment, it's finally time for Chicago to cut ties with their best asset, Zach LaVine.

With potential trades for Nikola Vucevic, DeMar DeRozan, and even Alex Caruso soon, the return is more about recouping assets than filling the departed players' vacated roles. Similar to what the Brooklyn Nets did a season ago.

In this hypothetical trade, Chicago would only send out two pieces, LaVine and Patrick Williams. LaVine is on the books for two more seasons and potentially a third, as he has a player option in his age-31 season. Over those three seasons, he's owed more than $120 million.

On the flip side, Williams is only owed $10 million this season, before he hits restricted free agency in the 2024 offseason. If Williams isn't offered a long-term deal, he'll likely get the chance to prove his worth on a restricted tender, worth nearly $13 million.

LaVine is a bonafide star and worth every penny, despite some defensive deficiencies. However, Williams is largely unproven. He's played three seasons in the association but hasn't shown much improvement.

Williams is averaging career lows in points and rebounds this season. A fresh opportunity may be exactly what the young forward needs to kickstart his career.

Outgoing are LaVine and Williams, incoming are Tyler Herro, Jaime Jaquez Jr., Jaden Hardy, and Maxi Kleber. And of course, Chicago would acquire multiple draft picks in exchange for LaVine's services.

Herro would get his shot at becoming the alpha scorer in Chicago, as long as DeRozan is shipped out soon thereafter. In a larger role, it's likely Herro would average LaVine-like numbers.

The ancillary pieces, Jaquez Jr., Hardy, and Kleber would all be quality additions. Jaquez Jr. is only 22 years old, while Hardy is 21. The Heat forward is already making his mark in the league. Jaquez Jr. is averaging 9.1 points, 3.4 rebounds, and 2.1 assists in 23 minutes per game.

Hardy hasn't received ample playing time this season, but he's a spark-plug scorer who still has time to develop into a well-rounded player. Kleber is the eldest of the group but still provides floor-spacing and versatile defense.

Potential starting lineup: Coby White, Tyler Herro, DeMar DeRozan, Torrey Craig, Nikola Vucevic

The Bulls receive a B for this trade. A few years ago, the grade would have been worse. But as of late, teams have received less for stars in trades. For instance, the Portland Trail Blazers only received one unprotected first-rounder in the Damian Lillard trade.

It could be argued Tyler Herro is on the same level as LaVine. However, LaVine has performed at a high level for half a decade now. For all we know, his fit on the Heat may be better than his fit on the Bulls.

Grading the trade for the Miami Heat

The Miami Heat spent the entire offseason seemingly banking on acquiring Portland superstar, Damian Lillard. And to make matters worse, the Heat had no real contingency plan in place if the trade failed to come to fruition.

Lillard was traded to Milwaukee and Miami remained stagnant throughout the entirety of the offseason. Despite reaching the NBA Finals a season ago, the Heat failed to improve the roster in the offseason.

Miami lost starters, Max Stus and Gabe Vincent in free agency. And to offset the losses, Miami signed Josh Richardson and drafted Jaime Jaquez Jr. in the draft.

While Miami did reach the NBA Finals, they did so after barely making the postseason. The Heat entered the playoffs as an eighth seed after they finished the regular season with a 44-38 record. Adding Lillard to a finals team seemed like a surefire way to make yet another deep playoff run.

However, after failing to acquire Lillard, the Heat are yet again linked to another star player on the market, Zach LaVine. And a Miami lineup including LaVine looks seamless on paper.

LaVine would slide right into the spot that Tyler Herro once occupied in this mock trade. LaVine's combination of athleticism and 3-point shooting would do wonders for Miami's offense.

Moreover, the Heat also have the perfect defensive scheme and numerous quality defenders to make up for LaVine's flaws on the less glamorous end.

The only argument in this trade is LaVine's value. How high does Miami value a player who isn't much better than Herro? Also, a player who's five years older than Herro.

In this scenario, it's likely the Heat still have their sights set on a big name. And LaVine fills that void for Miami. He's a two-time All-Star and has averaged more than 24 points per game in four straight seasons.

Potential starting lineup: Kye Lowry, Zach LaVine, Jimmy Butler, Haywood Highsmith, Bam Adebayo

While LaVine fits nicely in the Heat's lineup, he's not a massive upgrade over Herro. This season, their averages are nearly the same, and Herro is five years younger.

The Heat receive a C+ for this trade. Acquiring LaVine for only one unprotected draft pick is a win, but exchanging Herro for LaVine doesn't move the needle as it should.

Grading the trade for the Dallas Mavericks

The Mavericks are essentially the third team in this deal. Not a key player, the Mavericks help facilitate the trade by acquiring a potentially disgruntled former top-five pick and a near $20 million salary player in Duncan Robinson.

Despite acquiring a large-salary player, Dallas does ship out Maxi Kleber and Richaun Holmes. Two players, 30 years old or older, with a combined salary of $23 million.

The biggest loss for the Mavericks in this trade is Jaden Hardy. The young guard is a microwave scorer with plenty of untapped potential. This season, his impact isn't aligning with offseason expectations. He's only averaged 12.6 minutes per game.

Although Hardy is still a young asset, the acquisition of Williams offsets the loss. Williams is only 22 years old and has three full seasons of experience under his belt. The Mavs have seemed more keen on playing forwards this season, thus Williams would be a sound fit.

The Mavericks could start the 3-and-D wing at forward, over Derrick Jones Jr., or employ him as a sixth man, allowing him to shine with the second unit.

The second part of the trade, Robinson, adds yet another 3-point threat to the Dallas offense. Robinson would be the fifth player on the Dallas roster to average more than 2.5 3-pointers per game. Luka Doncic, Kyrie Irving, Tim Hardaway Jr., Grant Williams, and Robinson would average a combined 15.8 3-pointers per game. Those five would rank third in the league by themselves.

The loss of longtime forward Kleber may sting a bit, but the 31-year-old has quickly declined. Kleber is averaging only 3.4 points per game on inefficient shooting. He's shooting 25 percent from the floor and 33 percent from downtown. The German big man is also dealing with a troublesome toe injury.

Potential starting lineup: Luka Doncic, Kyrie Irving, Patrick Williams, Grant Williams, Dereck Lively II

The Mavs receive a B+ for this trade. While the coaching staff seemingly prioritizes wing depth, keeping Hardy will pay dividends down the road. Especially if Hardaway Jr. is traded sometime soon.

Williams may be able to slide in at the three or the four, but his potential may be more intriguing than his actual value. Additionally, it was reported that Williams sought a massive contract extension before the deadline on October 23. He'll head into next season as a restricted free agent, thus Williams could come and go within a year.

Robinson is a fantastic shooter, but that's it. Dallas already has two other players capable of filling this exact role.