Zach LaVine teaming up with Nikola Jokić in Denver? Some trade rumors just make sense

Denver: You’d be grinning too if you had a shot at playing with Nikola Jokić. The buzz is that the Nuggets are eyeing Bulls guard Zach LaVine.

LaVine’s been a bit underrated lately, which is wild considering his talent. Sure, his contract is hefty at $43 million this year, but he’s worth it.

For a while, folks thought his contract was untradeable, but that’s just not fair. Chicago’s management hasn’t really figured out how to use him right.

LaVine isn’t meant to be the main guy. He’s a killer off-the-ball scorer. Back in 2020-21, he was seventh in catch-and-shoot 3-point percentage. That’s impressive!

He’s also great at cutting to the basket, ranking in the 97th percentile for that. But here’s the kicker: he’s never played with a top-tier playmaker like Jokić.

In Denver, he’d finally have that superstar partner. Imagine LaVine getting easy buckets because defenses are focused on Jokić. It’d be a game-changer!

At 29, LaVine could easily drop 20-25 points a game with the way he plays off the ball. Plus, he’d open up the floor for Jokić and Jamal Murray.

With Jokić drawing double-teams, LaVine would thrive. The ball movement in Denver would be a breath of fresh air compared to what he’s used to in Chicago.

LaVine would also bring some much-needed 3-point shooting to the Nuggets. While Michael Porter Jr. might head to Chicago in a trade, he can’t create shots like LaVine can.

Now, it’s not all sunshine and rainbows. LaVine isn’t exactly known for his defense. But offensively, this pairing just clicks.

In the NBA, sometimes the most obvious trades don’t happen. Teams go in unexpected directions, leaving us wondering what could’ve been.

This trade rumor, though? It just makes too much sense. It’s fresh, it’s exciting, and it’s worth exploring. But hey, don’t get your hopes too high!