Zach LaVine Trade Rumors: Teams Monitoring Bulls Star Ahead of Deadline

Zach LaVine is a player to watch ahead of the March 25 NBA trade deadline this season.   

ESPN's Brian Windhorst appeared on The Jump Thursday and said teams are monitoring LaVine's future with the Chicago Bulls (5:00 mark):

"Another guy that executives are watching out there because they're not sure of his future with the organization is Zach LaVine," he said. "Now, I would tell you that the Bulls, if they're gonna trade a guy like Zach LaVine who's having a career season, would want to trade him for someone like Bradley Beal."

LaVine, 25, is having another excellent offensive season, averaging 26.5 points, 5.3 rebounds and 5.2 assists while shooting 50.8 percent from the field and 40.1 percent from three. All those marks are career highs. 

There are questions about LaVine's defense, but he's grown into one of the league's more dangerous offensive players on the perimeter and is having a career year. 

The Bulls have had a tough start to the season, going 8-12 as a young core built around LaVine, Lauri Markkanen, Coby White, Wendell Carter Jr. and Otto Porter Jr. has never quite put it all together. Despite the mediocre start, however, they find themselves just a half-game out of the No. 10 spot in the Eastern Conference. 

Much of how the Bulls decide to handle the LaVine situation could depend on how this season goes. They haven't had true superstar power since the Derrick Rose and Jimmy Butler days, so it wouldn't be shocking to see them go after a player like Beal if he becomes available. 

But much of their roster is also young. If a team comes with young stars and draft picks in LaVine talks, getting even younger and accumulating assets would also make sense. 

LaVine is going to be a popular name to monitor as the trade deadline nears, especially if he continues to post career marks.