"I’ll request a trade to Toronto" - Leaked Zach Lavine audio shows Bulls star cracking jokes during Raptors game

Zach Lavine and the Chicago Bulls recently faced the Toronto Raptors during the group stage of the NBA's in-season tournament. The Bulls failed to get anything going against their opponents as they lost by thirteen points (121–108), falling to 5–12, while the Raptors improved their record to 8–8.

The Bulls had a difficult time trying to establish any momentum as they found themselves falling behind by a significant margin in the opening quarter. Unfortunately for Lavine and his team, this has become a common occurrence as they have struggled to move in the right direction throughout the entire season.

However, despite his team's early season woes, it appears Zach Lavine still found the time to share some laughs with the Raptors' forward, OG Anunoby.

During a light-hearted moment, the two players can be seen running down the court. Lavine appeared to say something to Anunoby, who responded by laughing. According to X user @OmerOsman200, here is the statement that made Anunoby laugh.

"Yo if you guys beat us by 20 tonight, I'll request a trade to Toronto."

Anunoby was clearly amused by Lavine's statement, as he was visibly beaming during the exchange.

Lavine ended the night with a team-high 36 points, four rebounds, and three assists. However, his efforts were not enough to elevate his team to a win.

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Zach Lavine's performance with the Chicago Bulls so far

Zach Lavine became a member of the Chicago Bulls in 2017 as a part of the trade package that sent Jimmy Butler to the Minnesota Timberwolves.

As soon as he joined the team, he became a breakout star, averaging over 20 points per game for the first time in his career during the 2018–19 season (23.7). He increased his scoring average in the next two seasons, hitting 25.5 in 2019-20 and a career-high 27.4 points per game the next year.

He was named an NBA All-Star in 2021 and 2022 as a result of his scoring ability. However, Lavine's accomplishments since joining the Bulls have not translated into team success, as they only made the playoffs once (2022), losing in five games to the Milwaukee Bucks in the first round.

This season, Lavine has put up 22.3 points, 5.1 rebounds, and 3.3 assists in 16 games. Despite his efforts, the team has not been able to turn his stellar individual performance into wins, as they dropped to 5-12.

Due to these early-season struggles by the Bulls, it is understandable that there are trade rumors surrounding their star player. As of now, there are several candidates for landing the explosive swingman but fans should not be surprised if Zach Lavine is wearing a different jersey before the trade deadline.