According to a new rumor, the New York Knicks are still watching the Zach LaVine situation on the Chicago Bulls and could be looking to make a splash trade acquisition leading up to the trade deadline to add a superstar to a Knicks team that has lots of promise.
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The Knicks are keeping an eye on the Zach LaVine situation:
HoopsHype’s Michael Scotto appeared on The Ringer NBA Show and provided some insight on the developing situation.
“They tried to get Donovan Mitchell. They’ve got their eyes on Zach LaVine. They’re monitoring him, they’re looking for the star that’s going to become available, which I think is, of course, they’re going to do that,” Scotto said.
Michael Scotto via Bleacher Report
The Knicks’ 20-18 record entering Wednesday is good for just the eighth seed in the Eastern Conference standings.
Despite their streaky behaviors over the past month, they are still one of the more balanced teams in the NBA, ranking in the top 11 in offensive rating (11th), defensive rating (7th), and net rating (8th).
On the other hand, the Bulls have been playing below expectations this season. After making the playoffs last season, they are currently simmering at 16-21 and 11th in the Eastern Conference standings.
The Bulls’ struggles have gotten beneath the skin of their stars, with LaVine being the focal point of the team’s demise. A skirmish that broke out in the locker room at halftime against the Minnesota Timberwolves with LaVine being the center of the attention a few weeks ago started a chain reaction of teams monitoring what has been unfolding in Chicago, and there is speculation around the league that Bulls could blow it up and make LaVine available for trade.
LaVine is having a down year thanks in part to the turmoil, averaging just 22.7 PPG, 4.3 RPG, and 4.3 APG. The Knicks must do their due diligence when weighing Chicago’s asking price for the star that just signed a five-year, $215.2 million contract extension with the Bulls this past offseason.
After missing out on Donovan Mitchell in the offseason, LaVine could be the superstar that gets the Knicks into the upper echelon in the Eastern Conference and could form an All-Star trio of him, Jalen Brunson, and Julius Randle. His offensive capabilities could make the Knicks one of the top offensive teams in the NBA.
Will the Knicks pull the trigger and get the disgruntled star in orange and blue? Only time will tell.
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