Could blockbuster trade for Zach LaVine raise Cavs’ ceiling?

Zach LaVine to the Cavs: What the trade would look like

Zach LaVine will be an unrestricted free agent this summer and can instantly sign with any team that has maximum cap space. That’s a very small list, but if LaVine’s preferred destination is on it then no further action needs to be taken. Most likely, however, the team signing LaVine will need to execute a sign-and-trade to bring him aboard.

That brings two hurdles that need to be cleared. First, the Bulls have to be incentivized to take part; why would they help another team sign away their star? Teams in a similar position who have helped facilitate a sign-and-trade include the Charlotte Hornets, who got back Terry Rozier when Kemba Walker signed with the Boston Celtics, and the Golden State Warriors, who added D’Angelo Russell when Kevin Durant signed with the Brooklyn Nets. If the Cavs were to bring on LaVine they would need to make it worth the Bulls’ while.

The other hurdle is matching salary. Because LaVine’s next contract will almost certainly be a massive raise on his current $19 million salary it will count at a lower amount in matching for the Cavs than it will to balance out for the Bulls. That will require some careful machinations to find the right salary balance in a deal.

The Cavs can get there by sending back a free agent of their own, Collin Sexton. If he were under contract he is probably too valuable to “sweeten the pot” for the Bulls here, but if Sexton would like to start the Bulls would be an avenue to both get paid and start in an ecosystem with the guard defenders to survive Sexton’s shortcomings. If Sexton signs for around $25 million per season, and LaVine signs a maximum deal, the above trade would balance out.

The Cavs would get LaVine and take a flier on Coby White as a backup guard before deciding whether to pay him next summer. The Bulls would get a young dynamic scorer in Sexton, a defensive wing in Isaac Okoro and take a flier of their own on Dylan Windler. The future first-round pick further balances things out in case they balk at that contract number for Sexton, which is necessary for the money to work.