Chicago Bulls trade Zach LaVine to Knicks in these favorable deals
By Ryan Heckman
The New York Knicks are a realistic trade suitor for Chicago Bulls guard Zach LaVine, and talks could ramp up in the coming weeks.
According to a recent report, the Knicks are one of several teams “monitoring” the status of LaVine leading up to the trade deadline. Ian Begley of SNY stated that both the Knicks and Brooklyn Nets were a couple of the teams watching LaVine for a while now.
Of course, the Nets pulled off that huge trade for James Harden and now don’t need to go after LaVine. Still, the Knicks aren’t alone in their pursuit of LaVine, should the Bulls decide to listen to offers.
The Knicks at 9-12 look similar to the Bulls at 7-11. Both have played some competitive basketball for the most part this season, however they’re still a ways from truly belonging in the playoff mix. Either one could squeeze into one of the final spots in the Eastern Conference but may not go very far.
Still, the Knicks are looking for a star to build around and LaVine may be their guy. This season, LaVine is having a career year averaging 26.9 points, 5.3 rebounds, 5.2 assists 1.3 steals and is shooting lights out from the field (51.1 percent) and specifically beyond the arc (41.6 percent).
With the way NBA trades have looked over the past couple of years, it’s interesting to note that LaVine’s value could be at an all-time high. The Bulls may end up regretting not pulling the trigger on a deal for LaVine if they look like any of the following three packages.