When the New York Knicks are good, the NBA is a better place. The Knicks should be good. New York lives and breathes basketball.
Luckily, this season, they’ve been treated to a quality product. The Knicks are good, even if they aren’t necessarily on the level of a genuine title contender yet.
Currently, they’re down 2-1 to the Miami Heat in the second round. This is further than anybody expected them to advance in 2022-23.
With that said RJ Barrett’s play has been inconsistent. He’s definitely flashed potential.
Still, as a win-now team, the Knicks could consider trading him if they want to take another step forward next season.
Could they send him to the Chicago Bulls in exchange for Zach LaVine?
Chicago Bulls Receive: G/F RJ Barrett, 2024 First-Round Pick (NYK), 2028 First-Round Pick (NYK)
New York Knicks Receive: G/F Zach LaVine
Of course, the same could be said for the Bulls. The NBA is better when they’re thriving.
After all, this is an international brand. The Bulls were a dynasty in the 90s. We are still seeing documentaries and feature films about their success to this day.
With that said, it’s been a while since they were contenders. The Derrick Rose era was cut woefully short. Unfortunately, the Bulls haven’t been in the title picture ever since.
Nobody expected them to be in it this year, either. With that said, the Bulls were expected to better than they were.
This veteran team failed to even qualify for the postseason.
Is it time to make major changes?
Why The Chicago Bulls Do The Deal
Barrett is a frustrating player. Let’s start there. At times, we see the do-it-all wing that was picked third in the NBA draft.
Barrett can get to the rim, defend, set up teammates, and even shoot a little. Sometimes. Other times, he looked broadly ineffective.
Of course, that’s why the Bulls are getting compensated with draft picks here as well. They’re receiving two unprotected firsts.
One of them is deliberately distant – the Bulls will hope that the Knicks have fallen apart by 2028.
If Barrrett fulfills his potential with them, this will be a steal. If he doesn’t, it could look bad in hindsight. Still, given the team’s situation, that’s a gamble worth making.
Should the Knicks help them make it?
Why The New York Knicks Do The Deal
By contrast, LaVine is reliable. You know what to expect from him.
Specifically, LaVine is going to score. He’s not going to contribute much outside of scoring. Still, this is a three-level, certified bucket-getter.
The Knicks may not need much more from him. The combined playmaking of Jalen Brunson and Julius Randle left them with the league’s third-strongest offensive rating this season.
The Knicks already have an explosive offensive attack. Adding a reliable scorer like LaVine to it should make it all the more unstoppable.
All told this deal could have the Knicks contending for an NBA title next season. The NBA would be better for it, too.
Source: nbaanalysis.net
