Getty Image / Nic Antaya
This NBA offseason has been a surprisingly quiet one for the New York Knicks.
The franchise got back on track last offseason, earning the 5-seed in the East and winning their 1st round series against the Cavaliers.
It was their first series win in a decade, but left their fans wanting more after a surprising exit against the Heat.
Those fans were expecting the Knicks to make something happen to get the team into contention for next season.
So far, all they’ve really done is trade away Obi Toppin.
Now it appears they have tried to change that.
According to The Athletic’s Fred Katz, the Knicks contacted the Chicago Bulls about potentially trading for Zach LaVine.
Joel Embiid said things & the whole basketball world took out crystal balls.
So, how do the Knicks fit into this?
Story on New York's pursuit of not just a star but the right star — and Embiid, if he were ever available, would fit that description: https://t.co/kgNjFSGBEL pic.twitter.com/WHdKT7EclC
— Fred Katz (@FredKatz) July 20, 2023
If the New York Knicks really want to give themselves a chance to contend next season, a trade for LaVine may be the best option they have available.
During the playoffs, it became clear that the Knicks were still another scorer away from being able to compete with the top teams in the Eastern Conference.
Zach LaVine would add a pretty good one to their roster. He has averaged at least 24 points per game in each of the last 4 seasons and would give the Knicks a nice upgrade on the wing.
It seems the one issue is the price.
According to the report, the asking price for LaVine is giant.
That could change some time before the start of next season. The Bulls are not a very good team and would benefit from trading some of their veteran pieces to start rebuilding their team.
There’s still plenty of time for the Bulls to change their price and if they do, LaVine could help turn the New York Knicks into a contender next season.