NY Knicks: 3 reasons Zach LaVine should be trade deadline target
1. The Knicks Get Their Star
Ever since the Knicks and Carmelo Anthony went their separate ways via trade right before the 2017-2018 season, the team has been in a constant search for that illustrious big-time player — a guy that’ll not only help pack Madison Square Garden for 41+ games a year, but one who will help stack the win column on a yearly basis.
A large part of the NBA community thought Donovan Mitchell would be the answer before he ended up going to Cleveland, and that “miss” was chalked up as another failure by New York’s front office. Mitchell aside, LaVine has a chance to be the guy the Knicks have been waiting to acquire for years.
While LaVine is certainly no Carmelo Anthony and is probably not on Donovan Mitchell’s level right now, you could certainly argue he’d be the best player to take the stage as a home player at The Mecca.
Let’s be honest for a second. While this current winning streak is impressive and it’s awesome to see the team getting respect across the league, it’s hard to imagine a scenario where the Knicks are able to go on a deep playoff run with the current roster. While adding LaVine doesn’t make you an immediate contender, it makes you a much more formidable foe.
Obviously, logistics need to be considered regarding this trade. If this goes down, we could see New York’s 2019 third overall pick in RJ Barrett be sent to Chicago, in a deal featuring two guys who signed extensions this summer. Either way, if the price is right, it’s hard to not see this move as eye candy for the front office.
It certainly isn’t a guarantee that the Knicks make a blockbuster move like this prior to the trade deadline on Feb. 9, but if something does happen, make sure you remember LaVine as a potential option.
