Zach LaVine’s trade preference is good news for the Knicks
It's just a matter of time before the Chicago Bulls blow up their roster, as Zach LaVine is trending toward being the next big trade chip to fall.
According to The Athletic’s Shams Charania and Darnell Mayberry, the 4-8 Bulls are "open" to trading LaVine, whose 21.7 PPG scoring average leads the team. The sentiment goes both ways, as LaVine reportedly shares "increased openness" about a potential Windy City exit.
Nevertheless, don't expect a move to the Big Apple for LaVine.
On Thursday, Stefan Bondy of the New York Post reported that LaVine is the latest in a laundry list of stars to oppose the possibility of joining the New York Knicks in recent years.
"A source reiterated to The Post this week that LaVine’s camp would prefer not to go to Leon Rose’s squad," wrote Bondy.
New York has long-awaited a superstar talent injection into its lineup, collecting an immense amount of young talent and draft capital over recent years to theoretically package in a trade for such a player. The team previously snooped around the Bradley Beal and Damian Lillard market and are widely considered the frontrunners to acquire Joel Embiid should he grow unhappy in Philadelphia — a pie-in-the-sky scenario.
While LaVine doesn't necessarily categorize as a superstar, he'd help mend that itch as a two-time All-Star, giving the Knicks a formidable big three alongside Jalen Brunson and Julius Randle. Then again, acquiring LaVine would likely come at the expense of R.J. Barrett, a player who checks many of the same boxes as LaVine but at a cheaper price point.
LaVine, 28, is just 12 games into the second year of a five-year, $215.2 million contract. As for Barrett, the 23-year-old is enjoying a career campaign in the first year of a four-year, $107M deal. Albeit a small sample size, Barrett is averaging career highs in points (22.6), field-goal percentage (48.7) and three-point percentage (50.0).
New York does not appear to be a viable suitor for LaVine, which ultimately may prove ideal for a Knicks team sitting in sixth place in the East.
While LaVine is a highly-skilled scorer who has averaged 21-plus PPG over the past six seasons, he's not a player that will elevate the Knicks into title contention — evidenced by the fact the Bulls have never advanced past the first round of the playoffs during LaVine's tenure in Chicago.
Avoiding LaVine on the trade market will extend the possibility of the Knicks luring a bigger fish to New York down the road.
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