This year’s NBA trade deadline is continuing to heat up for the Chicago Bulls, who have yet to make a move. With plenty of movement around the league so far, Chicago has remained silent.
That is, until now.
Joe Cowley of the Sun Times is reporting that the Bulls are now engaged in trade talks with the New York Knicks.
It would be a Zach LaVine trade, specifically.
The Knicks have long been rumored as a team to be interested in LaVine, but nothing has come to fruition. New York would be able to put together a pretty attractive deal, as well.
The Knicks would likely send a package centered around R.J. Barrett, Evan Fournier and possibly Derrick Rose, bringing the fan favorite home.
The Chicago Bulls should get the trade done as soon as possible, admitting to another rebuild
Trading LaVine would be entering the Bulls into another rebuild, but that’s not a bad thing. This roster was a joy to watch for a little bit, but it’s now to the point where things have gotten pretty clear. This roster is not contending for a title.
Head coach Billy Donovan was extended, and maybe that was the wrong move. Many fans are out on Donovan, but some are also out on LaVine, as they should be.
LaVine is a likable guy and a good player, but he’s not a great player. The $215 million deal he signed, for five years, looks like a massive failure. He started to play better this year after a slow start, but still, that money is absurd for a guy who is nowhere near good enough to carry a team.
The Knicks, meanwhile, have Julius Randle, Mitchell Robinson and LaVine might mesh well with those two. They also have plenty of picks to trade, which should be the focal point of any deal involving LaVine.
If the Knicks offered a deal where the Bulls got multiple first rounders, then Arturas Karnisovas should pull the trigger.