It does look like if the Chicago Bulls plan on trading their star shooting guard Zach LaVine prior to the deadline this year, they will have the opportunity to get that done in the very near future. That is if first-year executive vice president of basketball operations Arturas Karnisovas and general manager Marc Eversley find it to be in the team’s best interest to do so. LaVine and fourth-year power forward Lauri Markkanen both have sat in the middle of various trade speculation and discussions around the NBA media landscape of late.
And apparently one of those teams after LaVine right now is the New York Knicks.
LaVine and Markkanen are likely the two best players that the Bulls have on their roster at the moment. There’s other players like third-year center Wendell Carter Jr., small forward Otto Porter Jr., and veteran forward Thaddeus Young, that were solid for the Bulls so far when healthy. But LaVine and Markkanen would likely command the highest price tag.
Moreover, both of those aforementioned key pieces of the Bulls young core are playing well of late. If that continues, the trade discussions aren’t likely to slow down anytime soon.
LaVine and the Bulls are hoping to get their roll going on the night of Feb. 3, as they take on the Knicks for the second straight game. The Bulls already faced the Knicks at home at the United Center on Feb. 1, which resulted in a 110-102 second half comeback win.
The problem for the trade discussions for the Bulls is that if LaVine keeps playing well, and the team keeps winning, trading him becomes less and less probable this year. But if that doesn’t happen, then the trade rumors could heat up.
With all of this in mind, here’s a look into three potential LaVine trades between the Bulls and Knicks.