Chicago Bulls Rumors: 3 polarizing trades with the Knicks this offseason
By Ryan Heckman
This offseason, the Chicago Bulls have some intriguing decisions to make. The top two decisions they absolutely must make come in regards to their top two free agents, guard Coby White and center Nikola Vucevic.
White figures to be the Bulls’ top priority this summer, as he truly, finally broke out this past season as the year went on. Becoming an integral part of the rotation on both ends of the court, White looks to be the team’s point guard of the future.
The New York Knicks are another team that will have decisions to make, but those decisions will be more along the lines of which moves they will make. New York has already been in rumors to be active in the trade market over the summer, even in the midst of a playoff run.
If Chicago and New York are looking to make some moves and change things up, the two sides could come to an agreement on a fairly polarizing deal. What would that look like?
Trade Number 1: The Chicago Bulls deal Zach LaVine to the Knicks
Last offseason, the Bulls gave Zach LaVine the max at five years, $215 million. It was a decision they felt they had to make. However, with a team like Chicago stuck in mediocrity and not being quite good enough, tearing down the roster once more could be in the cards. Trading LaVine and getting themselves out of that contract would be a victory in and of itself, but adding assets on top of that would be a huge win.
In this deal, the Knicks get LaVine, and that’s it.
The Bulls, meanwhile, get the contract of Evan Fournier; and yes, he’s not much more than just an absurd contract at this point.
The Bulls also get young guard Quentin Grimes and swing man RJ Barrett, giving them some youth on the wing for a few years, at least.
Lastly, the Bulls get a pair of first-round picks in exchange for LaVine. The Knicks will now have a core featuring Jalen Brunson, LaVine, Julius Randle and Mitchell Robinson, to try and run it back next year, albeit a bit different look, in effort to make a run in the East.