New York Knicks: Pass or pursue on these 5 trade rumors

Rumored trade target No. 2: Zach LaVine

For the first time in a few years, the New York Knicks have an All-Star on their hands in Julius Randle, thanks to his breakout season under new management. As a result, why not add even more All-Star firepower if given the chance?

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Pippen Ain't Easy

Conversely to the Knicks, the Chicago Bulls are not confidently within playoff reach. They have been battling in and out of the first eight seeds, though it would be a huge surprise to see them be a part of the postseason.

LaVine is averaging 28.7 points per game, making him the sixth-best scorer in the league. He is the majority of the reason that the Bulls are even challenging for a playoff spot. As a result, he has started to attract some serious interest in the trade market.

As said before, where there’s smoke, there’s fire. And where there’s fire, there’s New York. There have been countless reports linking LaVine’s name to the Knicks as they are one of the teams that would have the assets to pull off a trade as such.

LaVine has previously worked under Tom Thibodeau when he has on the Minnesota Timberwolves. During that 2016-17 season, LaVine averaged 18.9 points per game, which was a huge jump when compared to his first two seasons in the league.

If there’s one thing that these New York Knicks currently need, it is a closer for the most intense moments in the game. Thibodeau’s team is known for playing exceptional defense, though things tend to get tough when the clock is running out on offense.

Verdict: Pursue Zach LaVine