Chicago Bulls: 4 trades to move up in 2019 NBA Draft
By Ryan Heckman
Trade No. 3: Move up to no. 3
At one point, the talk was Chicago moving LaVine and the seventh pick to Los Angeles for Lonzo Ball and the fourth pick in this year’s draft. While I didn’t think that would be an ideal scenario, I definitely wouldn’t have been surprised if Bulls management pulled the trigger.
Thankfully, the Bulls/Lakers talk is over for now. But, if the Bulls did move LaVine and the no. 7 pick, the New York Knicks are an interesting partner.
There have been rumors popping up for the last several months in regards to the Knicks being willing to trade young point guard Frank Ntilikina. Some reports said the Knicks were willing, while others disparaged those rumors.
If the Bulls dealt LaVine and their seventh pick for Ntilikina and the no. 3 pick, they would undoubtedly end up with R.J. Barrett out of Duke. As one of only three players which most experts call future studs in the league, Barrett would come in and take LaVine’s spot right away.
Meanwhile, the Bulls represent a fresh start for Ntilikina, who still has plenty to offer and develop.
Is this a risk? Absolutely. Essentially, the Bulls would be hoping that Barrett and Ntilikina pan out better than a combination of LaVine and, say, Coby White.