LaVine is making many franchises regret passing on him when his trade value was at an all-time low in the offseason, especially teams lacking an elite perimeter shot-creator.

One of the teams that emerged in trade talks was the LA Lakers, and a recent report from Chicago Sun-Times’ Joe Cowley suggests that a potential deal was closer than many expected.

Of course, the Lakers opted to ship D’Angelo Russell to the Brooklyn Nets in exchange for Dorian Finney-Smith and Shake Milton, but adding LaVine to that LA roster could have been the better move for the championship-minded franchise.

LaVine’s value has skyrocketed since the offseason, making any trade less likely unless a team becomes very desperate ahead of February’s deadline.