Chicago Bulls Receive: G Dennis Smith Jr., F Kevin Knox, LAC 2021 1st Round Pick (via NYK), CHA 2021 2nd Round Pick (via NYK), NYK 2022 1st Round Pick
New York Knicks Receive: G Zach LaVine
If the Chicago Bulls are looking to acquire two young assets for both the frontcourt and backcourt in a trade for Zach LaVine, then the New York Knicks is the place to look.
Given their abundance of players in the backcourt, the Knicks would have no problem trading away Frank Ntilikina or Dennis Smith Jr., and given that they just drafted Obi Toppin, Kevin Knox’s days in “The Big Apple” could be numbered.
Since joining the Knicks during the 2018-19 NBA season, Dennis Smith Jr. has shown glimpses into his true potential but has had trouble remaining on the court. Due to injuries and a death in his family last year, Dennis Smith Jr. only played in 34 games in which he averaged just 5.5 points, 2.9 assists, and 2.3 rebounds while shooting 34.1 percent from the field.
Athleticism at the point guard position is what Smith Jr. brings to the table and while he may not be a great perimeter shooter, he has displayed a high IQ in terms of passing and has been improving in his decision making over the years with the ball in his hands.
Kevin Knox was drafted 9th overall in 2018 and had a lot of expectations put on him right away, which is likely what caused him to struggle early on. In 140 games with the Knicks through his first two seasons, Knox has averaged 9.6 points, 3.7 rebounds and has shot 36.5% from the floor and 33.5% from three-point range.
Both of these young former 9th overall picks could use a fresh start and with Chicago, they could be added onto the list of young, talented players. They could ease into new roles with the Bulls and be impact players off the bench for years to come.
The best thing about this trade with the Knicks though is the draft compensation the Bulls would receive in return for a talent like Zach LaVine. New York is in a position where they need an All-Star caliber talent now and should be willing to trade draft capital in order to get a player like LaVine.
This is good news for the Bulls because getting two first-round picks and a second-round pick would greatly benefit their efforts to solidify their team of the future through the draft. By executing this trade, Chicago would have 9 draft picks over the next two NBA Drafts and plenty of options on how to build their team moving forward.
If the Bulls do decide to trade Zach LaVine at some point this season and they want to get as much draft assets as they possibly can, then they should look no further than the New York Knicks who are in the market for a high-level talent.
