The New York Knicks took a massive jump from their 2022 campaign, wherein they failed to reach the NBA Playoffs. The major change that occurred from the previous season was the acquisition of Jalen Brunson from the Dallas Mavericks, as he has turned into one of the most reliable young stars in the league today. Even with Brunson complementing Julius Randle as the one-two punch of the Knicks, it was evident that they need another pure scorer to propel their squad to legitimate championship contention.

There are some names floating on the trade market, such as Damian Lillard, Bradley Beal, and Zion Williamson, who could all fill the holes of the Knicks. However, one plausible and brilliant option is acquiring Chicago Bulls shooting guard Zach LaVine. There were murmurs of LaVine heading to the Big Apple before signing his extension with the Bulls, so an offseason trade would now make that a reality.

There is the likelihood of the Bulls focusing on rebuilding their roster, so LaVine would thrive more in an environment that has a win-now mentality. On the other hand, the Knicks have a myriad of assets they could offer to Chicago for the swap to materialize.

Knicks receive: Zach LaVine, Derrick Jones Jr.

Bulls receive: RJ Barrett, Evan Fournier, Obi Toppin, 2 2024 first round picks

As previously mentioned, the Knicks have been heavily interested in Zach LaVine for over a year now, so the mutual interest may finally be completed in the offseason. It was obvious that Jalen Brunson lacked a secondary scorer alongside him. Defenses focused on Brunson and forced him to chuck up tough shots, especially in the playoffs.

LaVine's addition will keep the defenses honest because of his superb scoring prowess, along with the fact that he's an excellent ball handler who will consistently put pressure on the interior defense of the opponents. His playmaking can still be enhanced, but the space on the floor will expand because of the schemes that would need to focus on LaVine.

Guys like Brunson, Randle, and Josh Hart are not high-volume shooters, so they would welcome the immense floor spacing with both Brunson and LaVine leading the charge. Moreover, three-point shooting was an issue for the Knicks, and LaVine's arrival would be a definite boost in that category.

Even if the Knicks are looking to retool their roster, they will not need to unload too many assets to acquire someone of the caliber of Zach LaVine. A package centered around RJ Barrett and Obi Toppin will make the trade feasible because the Bulls will likely desire for young assets who are still far from reaching their ceiling. Barrett has had stretches of being a phenomenal scorer, and he will have more opportunities of handling the ball and initiating the offense in Chicago.

If that's not appealing to the Bulls, the Knicks could include up-and-coming guards Immanuel Quickley and Quentin Grimes if they don't desire to part ways with Barrett. However, including Quickley is likely something New York prefers not to do.

Compared to having LaVine, the Bulls would prefer a reset of their lineup and acquiring a pair of 2024 first rounders is a fantastic start.

Of course, it's worth noting that the Knicks cannot outright trade their own 2024 first rounder until the start of the new league year. However, given that the Knicks own 2024 firsts from the Dallas Mavericks and Detroit Pistons, they could include those selections and get this deal done before the draft.

Toppin is another piece who lacks the opportunity and opening in New York because he is the third big man behind Randle and Mitchell Robinson. When given the chance, Toppin shows glimpses of being an athletic and versatile wing who can thrive in 25-30 minutes per night.

The Knicks will include either Evan Fournier or exercise Derrick Rose's team option and add him to the trade to make the salaries work. Additionally, the two future 2024 first round picks will wrap up the deal and complete the trade for both parties.