Zach LaVine Linked To Surprising Team Out West

 

Zach LaVine is out of the Chicago Bulls' lineup with a foot injury until mid-January, the team has announced. But that hasn't stopped the rumor mill from grinding, as the very-available star scorer has now been linked in a possible trade to a surprising team out West: The Utah Jazz.

This, according to Sam Amico of Hoops Wire:

One rival GM has told Hoops Wire several times that the Jazz could have an interest in LaVine. Utah has a glut of guards and at the moment, appears to be going nowhere fast. Interestingly, a LaVine trade to Utah would reunite him with former Bulls forward Lauri Markkanen.

Markkanen and LaVine played together for four years in the Windy City, before Markkanen moved on to Cleveland and ultimately Utah, where he made his big breakthrough last season. 

The Jazz do have the draft capital to entice the Bulls, as well as some hefty contracts that would make salary-matching in a trade viable.

One other reason to see this as a possibility, is that Jazz CEO Danny Ainge is all about buying low on a distressed asset, which describes LaVine right now. The only thing that's he not "buying low" on, however, is that contract, which has four years to run at an AAV of about $45M per.

Before he went down to injury, LaVine was averaging 21 points, 4.9 rebounds and 3.4 assists. 

Photo: Kamil Krzaczynski-USA TODAY Sports