Bulls may shed $138 million salary in blockbuster trade with Lakers.

The Chicago Bulls remain in NBA purgatory, but a blockbuster trade with the Los Angeles Lakers might release them for free.

While Chicago has taken some moves toward a new era, they are still plagued with Zach LaVine’s onerous deal, which has proven tough to transfer.

With rumors this summer indicating that LaVine is totally healthy, Chicago cannot give up on its attempts to trade the two-time All-Star. LaVine does not fit into the Bulls’ desire to stay bad for a few years, but he is a highly skilled player at his athletic peak who could significantly benefit a contender or fringe contender.

Enter the Los Angeles Lakers, who could use some star power to relieve pressure on an aging LeBron James and an ill Anthony Davis. If the Lakers could get LaVine from the Bulls without giving up Austin Reaves, they could consider the trade a success.

Fortunately for the Lakers, such a transaction is doable. By transferring D’Angelo Russell, Rui Hachimura, and Gabe Vincent to Chicago in exchange for LaVine, the money would be split evenly between the two teams.

The Bulls would effectively divide LaVine’s huge salary into three smaller, more manageable contracts, the longest of which would last two seasons (LaVine has three years remaining on his contract). Russell is the last thing the Bulls’ guard-heavy squad needs, yet his contract is expiring.

Hachimura and Vincent would both give an experienced influence in Chicago’s locker room, assisting with the development of the team’s youthful players.

From the Lakers’ perspective, a core of James, Anthony, Reaves, and LaVine looks very good if all four are healthy.

LaVine to the Lakers is still a possibility, and a deal like the one described above may assist both Los Angeles and Chicago achieve their goals.

Bulls land Timberwolves superstar center in blockbuster trade proposal:

Miami is another probable destination for LaVine. The Heat require more offense, and Miami has a variety of contract combinations it might send to Chicago to make a deal work.

Duncan Robinson and Terry Rozier to the Bulls for LaVine is a mutually beneficial move.

For Chicago, dividing LaVine’s massive $138 million remaining over three years into two separate two-year contracts would give the Bulls greater flexibility in their reconstruction.

For Miami, adding LaVine to a core of Jimmy Butler, Bam Adebayo, and Tyler Herro would boost the Heat’s chances of winning as Butler approaches the end of his career. Essentially, what Miami was hoping to add with Rozier, it would improve upon by acquiring LaVine.

Even if a Bulls-Heat deal doesn’t happen in the next month or two, it’s something to keep an eye on during the season, especially if LaVine starts out well for Chicago.

Chicago’s management, Artūras Karnišovas and GM Marc Eversley, should engage the Minnesota Timberwolves on prospective trades for superstar center Karl-Anthony Towns, as they may be surprised by Minnesota’s openness towards KAT.

The Timberwolves know they can compete without Towns. Rudy Gobert and Naz Reid add enough center depth to the roster to complement an Anthony Edwards-centric core. As a result, while Minnesota isn’t aggressively shopping Towns, it would absolutely consider any offers for him.

The Wolves have questionable point guard depth after losing Tyus Jones, and the Bulls have too many point guards, indicating a positive trade agreement between the two teams.

Minnesota’s roster would become more balanced with the addition of Vucević as a backup to Gobert and Reid, as well as Dosunmu and Ball, both of whom are on expiring contracts, addressing concerns about their health.

The Bulls would solve a need at center by acquiring Towns, while also moving on from Vucević and Ball, who have been difficult to deal.

If Chicago got dissatisfied with the Towns experiment in the next year or two, they could certainly dangle him back out on the market and earn a good return, barring injury.