The Chicago Bulls will have some tough decisions to make in the coming weeks. They are performing well under expectations this season, currently 13-18 and on the outside looking in of the NBA Play-In Tournament in the Eastern Conference.
It would be easy for the organization to convince themselves that this is a blip in the radar given some of the challenges they are facing.
The biggest one staring them in the fact is Lonzo Ball’s knee injury remaining a bit of a mystery as there is no timetable for his return despite undergoing the first procedure 11 months ago.
Zach LaVine is also experiencing some rustiness at times from his own off-season knee procedure. Patrick Williams has yet to take that third-year leap, but given his tantalizing potential, it would be easy to talk themselves into it coming eventually. They were one of the best teams in the NBA last season when healthy, so it is easy to paint a positive picture.
LATEST NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: Zach LaVine, Chicago Bulls & New York Knicks Updates
Alas, this isn’t last season. On the other side of the coin, if the Bulls’ goal is to contend for championships, they have to accept the harsh reality that this roster isn’t built for that. Counting on Ball getting healthy is a risky proposition, and there is growing tension between LaVine and DeMar DeRozan on the court.
LaVine also isn’t seeing eye-to-eye with the Bulls, which could lead to some major changes in the coming weeks. There is a chance that ownership gives the okay to the front office to blow things up and retool, in which case a player such as LaVine could become available. If that were to occur, keep an eye on the New York Knicks as a potential landing spot according to Michael Scotto of HoopsHype.
“Just before Chicago executives Arturas Karnisovas and Marc Eversley arrived in Las Vegas for the Showcase, Bulls star Zach LaVine drew the frustration of his teammates during a blowout loss to Minnesota. Several NBA teams, including the New York Knicks, are monitoring whether LaVine will become available on the trade market after Chicago’s underwhelming start to the season at 12-18, Lonzo Ball’s return from injury in question, and Nikola Vucevic’s looming free agency.”
New York had their eight-game winning streak snapped on Wednesday by the Toronto Raptors, but that stretch put them in sixth place in the Eastern Conference, outside of the Play-In Tournament. Before that streak started, they looked like a franchise that was willing to shake things up with a big trade, but that may not be the case anymore.
LATEST NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: Zach LaVine, Chicago Bulls & New York Knicks Updates
Given the success that Tom Thibodeau has found with the nine-man rotation that came together on December 4th, it would be hard to imagine the Knicks now looking to trade away multiple pieces for a player of LaVine’s caliber.
Unless the Knicks go off the rails, a trade of that magnitude has a higher likelihood of occurring in the offseason.
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