Chicago Bulls trade DeMar DeRozan and Zach LaVine in a 3-team blockbuster trade scenario.

The Chicago Bulls are treading water in the NBA this season. An opening night loss already prompted the roster to have a team meeting, with things barely improving since then. They are currently 2-5 and don’t look to be a competitive team in the East. Instead of letting their stars lose value on a team headed for the bottom, the Bulls could reset their franchise by moving on from Zach LaVine and DeMar DeRozan. The players are expecting to be traded if the team has a poor season, so moves may not be far away for Chicago.

The Miami Heat and the Dallas Mavericks could jump into this fire sale to acquire win-now pieces from the Bulls, given how both teams could do with additional top-end talent. The Heat have had a dreadful start to the season, sitting 2-4 right now. The Mavericks, on the other hand, have been great and are currently 5-1. This deal gives the Heat a chance to find their form back and the Mavericks a chance to be taken seriously in the West.

Trade Details

Chicago Bulls Receive: Kyle Lowry, Tim Hardaway Jr., Richaun Holmes, Nikola Jovic, 2027 First-Round Pick (DAL), 2030 First-Round Pick (MIA), 2026 Second-Round Pick (LAL)

Miami Heat Receive: Zach LaVine, Maxi Kleber

Dallas Mavericks Receive: DeMar DeRozan, Duncan Robinson

This trade allows the Bulls to move on from their two stars for a haul of assets that teams may be unwilling to part with right now. This gives them a chance to reset while also netting them some useful pieces they can either develop or move on for more assets.

The Chicago Bulls Reset For A New Future

If the Bulls spend the rest of this season with their current roster, they’ll likely hover among the middle of the pack, possibly getting a play-in spot like they did last season. But that shouldn’t be the yardstick for success when it comes to a proud franchise like the Bulls. Moving on from LaVine and DeRozan right now will allow them to rebuild their roster, given they have a full assortment of future picks and acquire two valuable first-rounders in this deal.

Nikola Jovic is the highest upside player for the Bulls in this deal, with the Serbian big man proving during the FIBA World Cup that he’s an extremely polished scorer who could thrive in the right circumstances. With a veteran like Kyle Lowry going over to the Bulls with him, Lowry could set the right tone in the locker room while also mentoring guards like Ayo Dosunmu to grow as players.

Tim Hardaway Jr. has been great for the Mavericks so far this season, so the Bulls could either keep him until his contract expires next season or trade him on for further assets. A team like the Cavaliers could be interested in picking up THJ for the right price, something the Bulls may be negotiable to. THJ is averaging 17.7 points, 3.8 rebounds, and 1.7 assists to start the season.

Richaun Holmes has to be added as a salary-filler, but the Bulls could rehabilitate his value after Holmes lost his spot in the Kings rotation last season and hasn’t gotten a chance in Dallas yet.

The Miami Heat Go All-In

The Miami Heat have come so close to acquiring high-volume scorers in recent years that it must hurt Heat fans to see them holding the short end of the stick every time. They missed out on Donovan Mitchell, Kevin Durant, Bradley Beal, and Damian Lillard. Instead of overthinking their trade negotiations, the Heat should go all-in on acquiring someone like LaVine.

LaVine has started the season averaging 22.3 points, 4.4 rebounds, and 2.1 assists. The expectations placed upon him are higher but he’s still been proving his scoring touch is alive and well. With Lowry heading out, it allows Tyler Herro to take full-time point guard duties and have a high-scoring backcourt with him and LaVine. The frontcourt can defend, as Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo are All-Defense caliber players.

Maxi Kleber would be an underrated get in this deal. The German big man is a prototypical 3-and-D power forward who can defend the perimeter and provide an intelligent body in the paint. He isn’t as consistent as Butler and Adebayo on that end, but he will provide something more than what Kevin Love is giving them at the moment.

The Mavericks Solidify Their Status As Contenders

The Mavericks have had a hot start to the season that not many expected. The team is 5-1 through the first six games, their only loss coming at the hands of the Denver Nuggets. They’re a vicious second-half team, yet to be outscored in that period of the game by any of their opponents so far. But there are clear limitations to the style of basketball the Mavericks play, with DeRozan adding another scoring threat that Dallas could use.

Swapping out Tim Hardaway Jr.’s streaky scoring for a consistent player like DeRozan could help Dallas. DeRozan would get some of the best shots of his career alongside Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving, just ask Grant Williams who joined in the summer and has become a three-point sniper with Dallas. The Mavericks could also use the mid-range threat that DeRozan brings, with him and Kyrie capable of slicing teams apart with contested or open mid-range jumpers that go in regularly.

DeRozan is averaging 21.4 points, 3.0 rebounds, and 4.3 assists, and would be a huge asset for Dallas. Also acquiring a bonafide floor-spacer like Duncan Robinson would be great for Dallas. Given their three-point-heavy offense, Robinson would get a lot of wide-open threes with Dallas that he doesn’t get in Miami. In addition, Robinson’s threat from deep will scramble defenses, who will either guard him or double one of Luka and Kyrie.

This Trade Satifies What Each Team Needs

The Bulls can let go of their core for a decent price that could set them up well for their next chapter. LaVine’s contract is not ideal for any team given the length, dollars, and his troubling injury history. In addition, DeRozan is a free agent at the end of the season, severely limiting how much value the Bulls can extract out of their two stars. That’s why this assortment of picks and players should satisfy what they could get on the open market as well.

The Heat are not looking good right now, with their offense sitting among the league’s worst. Jimmy Butler doesn’t carry them through the regular season, so adding LaVine and giving him and Herro that responsibility would change the franchise. It would also make them lethal heading into the postseason, something the Heat have to be well aware of.

The Mavericks have a padded record right now, but they have made the right moves this offseason. With Doncic’s contract allowing the Slovenian to hit free agency in 2026, the Mavericks will be laser-focused on winning now to convince their prodigal star to stay. Acquiring DeRozan and having him take a similar pay cut to what Kyrie did this summer would set the franchise up for a very successful few years.