There are two “D” words that loom large in the world of NBA trades: deadlines and desperation.

One of those two things—if not both—could be the key that finally unlocks Zach LaVine’s path away from the Chicago Bulls.

While the two-time All-Star and longtime resident on the trade rumor mill said all the right things at Bulls Media Day, none of them will actually change his position among the players likeliest to change locker rooms during the 2024-25 season.

In case there was any doubt, Joe Cowley of the Chicago Sun-Times reported the Bulls continue to “actively” explore LaVine trades. It’s the next logical step of their overdue—but thankfully finally happening—rebuilding effort.

Now, searching for deals and actually finding one are two different things. If LaVine had a robust trade market (or, really, any market value at all), he’d be participating in someone else’s training camp. To this point, though, that market doesn’t exist.

That probably won’t change any time soon. Not when he’s coming off an injury-riddled campaign that saw him suit up just 25 times before undergoing season-ending surgery on Feb. 8. It’s not just about returning to action, it’s convincing someone he’s worth the massive amount of money he’s owed: $89 million for the next two seasons, plus a $49 million player option for 2026-27, per Spotrac.

That won’t be easy, particularly not in the NBA’s new economic environment. And that’s before factoring in LaVine’s reputation as an empty-calories producer. His first 10 NBA seasons yielded just a single playoff trip, which didn’t stretch beyond the opening round.

He is, admittedly, not an attractive trade target. That could change over time, though.

For starters, seeing him back in action could go a long way toward restoring his value. His numbers may not have led to a lot of winning, but when he’s healthy, they’re still among the better you’ll find on the offensive end.

Prior to this past season, he was on a four-year run of averaging at least 24 points, four assists and 2.5 three-pointers in each campaign. Only four other players matched that feat: Luka Dončić, Kyrie Irving, Damian Lillard and Donovan Mitchell.

LaVine needs a little time to remind folks he has that kind of talent.

Based on his track record, it’s reasonable to assume he can do that (health permitting, of course). Chicago should have no trouble giving him the platform to do that. It needs to showcase his skills to attract suitors, and with DeMar DeRozan off lighting the beam in Sacramento, there aren’t as many mouths to feed in this offense.

Then, all the Bulls might need is some desperation among contender-hopefuls—or even playoff-hopefuls. That part feels like a given. The Western Conference is fully loaded, and the Eastern Conference has its own glut behind the Boston Celtics, Philadelphia 76ers and New York Knicks (and maybe the Milwaukee Bucks if they can unlock the full potential of the Giannis Antetokounmpo-Damian Lillard pairing).

Let a chunk of the 2024-25 campaign play out, and some teams will not only have to face their flaws but also the distinct possibility of said flaws holding them back if not corrected. Those who are struggling to find steady scoring, spacing and secondary playmaking will have to seriously consider whether it’s worth stomaching the remainder of LaVine’s large salary.

That might feel far-fetched now, but what if offensive options are limited—there hasn’t exactly been an abundance of sellers since the play-in tournament widened the postseason field—and the clock starts ticking ahead of the Feb. 6 trade deadline? If LaVine is playing regularly and producing like normal, his appeal has to be stronger than it looks right now.

That’s when Chicago might hear the long-awaited knock of opportunity. Desperate teams facing a deadline might actually seek out LaVine, and the second that happens, expect the Bulls to be ready to pounce.