NBA Trade Rumors: If the New York Knicks are going to target a star this summer, it should be Zach LaVine.
After taking a huge step forward this past season, the belief and natural next step for the New York Knicks is to try to make a big move to reach championship contender status in the Eastern Conference. And with the necessary assets needed to make a big move, the Knicks are largely expected to be a big player in the trade market this offseason.
Any star-level talent that becomes available via trade this offseason will undoubtedly be linked to the Knicks. And it’s already begun. New York has already been linked to Bradley Beal, who has suddenly become one of the headliners heading into the start of the offseason.
However, there’s one other star player that has been named as a possible trade candidate this offseason that I believe the Knicks should explore targeting as a priority – Zach LaVine.
According to a recent report, the Chicago Bulls have been quietly gauging the trade interest around the league for LaVine. This is not to say that the Bulls are trying to trade LaVine or approaching the offseason in a manner that would suggest they’re ready to rebuild, but I also don’t think they would decline an offer that they can’t refuse.
That leads to the Knicks, who have a near-unlimited amount of future first-round picks to trade (eight to be exact) and several young players that would be of interest to a team that would be entering the early stages of a rebuild.
LaVine would be exactly what the Knicks need in the backcourt next to Jalen Brunson as a secondary scorer that could help take some of the pressure off of him. LaVine is also a better defender than he gets credit for.
He’s not an All-Defensive talent but also has shown the ability to hold his own (at the least) when called upon. And perhaps playing under the tutelage of Tom Thibodeau can unlock an entirely new skill that he’s yet to show on a consistent basis.
One of the reasons why the Knicks lost to the Miami Heat in the Eastern Conference semifinals was due to their inability to get consistent offense outside of Brunson. LaVine would help accomplish that as a player that is a proven scorer.
Additionally, the Knicks wouldn’t have throw a godfather offer at the Bulls to pry LaVine away. Even if the Knicks land LaVine, they’d still be open to making another move. If that’s on the table this summer, he’s the star player the Knicks should target.