3. Zach LaVine, Chicago Bulls
There is at least some speculation from bloggers and reporters that the Orlando Magic could be one of the teams to hunt for a third star in free agency or the trade market. If the team is interested in chasing after another star on the trade market, Zach LaVine is another name being thrown around.
There is no doubt about LaVine's talent. He averaged at least 23.0 points per game in his five previous seasons before last year. He is a career 38.2 percent 3-point shooter. And the Magic know firsthand how hot he can get and how quickly he can pile up points.
The Magic need someone who can attack off the dribble and hit threes in bunches. LaVine checks those boxes in theory.
But last year was an incredibly down year for him as he again dealt with a knee injury. He averaged 19.5 points per game and shot 34.9 percent from three. He appeared in only 25 games. LaVine has played in 70 games in a season just once in the last eight season (and only three times in his career).
That is a lot to ask for with a player who is owed $138 million in the next three years (go ahead and assume he picks up his player option in 2028).
While a change of scenery and going someplace with a clearer pecking order so he can play a role rather than fight for the starring role might help LaVine, he needs to be available before any of that can happen.
That salary is pretty prohibitive to making a deal happen. And the Magic do not have a whole lot to offer the Bulls that would help them—unless Jonathan Isaac is on the table.
Still, it is undoubted that a healthy LaVine would help the Magic. He would be another potential primary scorer and playmaker. He is a three-point threat the Magic do not have. You at least have to have the conversation.
Trying to piece together a deal that would bring LaVine to Orlando while still maintaining some cap flexibility is really difficult, even with the massive amount of room Orlando can create this offseason.