The Knicks just finished playing back-to-back games against the Chicago Bulls, and it gave them a chance to get a good look at a player who they’ve been monitoring since the summer. That player is Zach LaVine.
LaVine dropped more than 20 points in both games against the Knicks and has been one of the best guards in the entire NBA this season. On the year, LaVine is averaging over 26 points per game on 51% from the floor to go 5 rebounds and 5 assists. He’s a dominant player.
The Bulls have plenty of young talent on the roster, but the team hasn’t yet translated it into winning basketball. There have been rumors that LaVine could be made available via trade since the summer. Yahoo’s Ian Begley recently reaffirmed that the Knicks are still very much monitoring LaVine’s situation.
As the trade deadline draws nearer, the Knicks already find themselves being linked to a few different players around the NBA.
The Knicks are currently exceeding their preseason expectations and are very much fighting for a playoff spot in the Eastern Conference. The team is trying to walk the line between developing their young players while playing winning basketball, and for the most part, it’s working.
LaVine isn’t going to be cheap to acquire. The Knicks have to ask themselves if they think LaVine can not only help them win today but that he can set them up for even greater success in the future.
Here’s a look at some realistic trade packages that the Knicks could offer in exchange for LaVine.
Knicks Trade: RJ Barrett, Julius Randle, Kevin Knox, 2021 1st Round Pick, 2021 2nd Round Pick
Bulls Trade: Zach LaVine, Thaddeus Young
This trade would be the result of Knicks management trying to sell high on Julius Randle while also believing that RJ Barrett won’t become the player they hoped he could be. It’s a lot to give up.
The Knicks would have to really be enamored with LaVine’s game if they were to trade away their two best players for him. Perhaps the front office believes the team defense can continue to be strong and LaVine would simply revamp the offense.
The optics of this trade wouldn’t be great. The Knicks finally have a promising young player in Barrett and a terrific free-agent signing in Randle, only for them to be traded away.
The Knicks also give up Kevin Knox, who has recently fallen out of their rotation but could become a nice spot-up shooter for the Bulls.
It’s hard to see Knicks fans being happy with this trade, as it pretty much leaves the team with LaVine, some veterans, and a few unproven young players. They also forfeit significant draft picks. I’m not sure it makes the team better now, and I don’t think it improves their outlook for the future.
Knicks Trade: RJ Barrett, Immanuel Quickley, 2021 First Round Pick, 2021 2nd Round Pick
Bulls Trade: Zach LaVine
This would be a complete makeover of the Knicks backcourt. The Bulls would receive arguably the Knicks’ two most prized prospects in Barrett and Quickley, as well as the team’s first-round pick in a terrific 2021 draft class.
Barrett has shown significant improvement in his sophomore season, and very much looks like the budding star that Knicks fans want him to become.
Immanuel Quickley has quickly (No pun intended) captured Knicks fans’ hearts. The 21-year-old rookie has thrived almost any time he’s gotten significant playing time.
Quickley looks like he could be a dynamite scorer in the NBA for years to come. He certainly looks like the best guard the Knicks have drafted in a long time.
While the Knicks do get a bonafide star in LaVine, what does the rest of their backcourt look like? Elfrid Payton, Austin Rivers, Frank Ntilikina?
LaVine’s impact shouldn’t be understated, and this deal could work out for the Knicks. With that said, it could also backfire, and losing multiple picks in next year’s draft class could prove to be costly down the line.
Knicks Trade: Obi Toppin, Kevin Knox, Frank Ntilikina, 2021 1st Round Pick, 2021 2nd Round Pick, 2023 Mavericks’ 1st Round Pick, 2023 2nd Round Pick
Bulls Trade: Zach LaVine
This is the approach to the Zach LaVine trade that I’m sure many Knicks fans want to see. Does it cost a lot of draft capital? Yes, but that’s exactly why the Knicks acquired all of these draft picks.
If the Knicks were to complete this trade they are essentially adding a 25-year-old star in LaVine while maintaining all of their best players.
Even with this trade, the Knicks would still have a guaranteed first-round pick in every upcoming draft.
In this deal, the Knicks use their surplus of picks to make a move on a star who is just hitting his prime. Plus, they get to keep their core roster intact.
For the most part, the players the Knicks are trading are draft picks of the past regime. Letting go of Toppin so early may be difficult, but really, it’s already been hard to see a future where he and Randle both receive significant minutes.
A lineup of Quickley-LaVine-Barrett-Randle-Robinson could blossom into one of the best teams in the entire Eastern Conference.