There are multiple teams in the league that are trying to improve ahead of this year’s trade deadline. The New York Knicks and the Miami Heat are likely among their number, as the two teams are trying to get to the playoffs and make a deep run in the Eastern Conference. Both teams need more star power on their roster to compete with the other heavyweights in the East, such as the Milwaukee Bucks and the Brooklyn Nets.
- The New York Knicks Trade For A Star-Level Shooting Guard
- The Miami Heat Get Two Key Veterans
- The Chicago Bulls Get Young Players And Draft Compensation
- This Deal Works Out Well For All Three Teams
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Meanwhile, the Chicago Bulls are a team that could potentially blow it up. They are the 10th seed in the Eastern Conference and have been inconsistent all season. They have some pieces that would be valuable to teams that are trying to win immediately, and perhaps they could move them to get draft picks and young prospects in return.
Here is a potential 3-team trade that involves the Knicks, the Heat, and the Bulls. The Knicks and the Heat would be getting win-now players, while the Bulls would be getting a huge package for their rebuild.
New York Knicks Receive: Zach LaVine, Alex Caruso
Miami Heat Receive: DeMar DeRozan, Derrick Rose
Chicago Bulls Receive: Immanuel Quickley, Cam Reddish, Caleb Martin, Evan Fournier, Kyle Lowry, 2025 First-Round Pick (MIL via NYK), 2029 First-Round Pick (NYK), 2027 First-Round Pick (MIA)
There is no doubt that this is a trade that could potentially work out for all three teams involved, with good reasons for each team to make this trade. Here is why the three franchises involved should consider making this trade.
The New York Knicks Trade For A Star-Level Shooting Guard
The New York Knicks already have two All-Star level players on the roster, Jalen Brunson and Julius Randle. Brunson has shown that he is an elite floor general that is also capable of scoring the basketball well, while Randle plays a bully-ball style and is a solid playmaker at the PF position. If they add a three-level scorer like Zach LaVine to the mix, they could be an extremely dangerous team that will be a tough matchup for any contender in the East.
As of right now, Zach LaVine is averaging 24.1 PPG, 4.6 RPG, and 4.3 APG for the Chicago Bulls while shooting 38.4% from beyond the arc. He has shown the ability to be a high-volume shooter from the 3PT range, and LaVine is also an excellent slasher when going to the basket. LaVine has the skill set to be a consistent No. 1 option for the New York Knicks, and they are already keeping tabs on his situation with the Chicago Bulls. In theory, Zach LaVine would be a good fit with two ball-dominant players like Jalen Brunson and Julius Randle due to his elite off-ball game. He could toggle between being on and off the ball and take over when necessary.
This deal also lands the New York Knicks one of the league’s best defensive guards, Alex Caruso. He would likely be the backup guard for the team but would still get plenty of playing time. Alex Caruso has been a defensive lynchpin for the Chicago Bulls during his time there, and it is quite possible that he would end up closing at times for the Knicks due to his prowess on that end of the floor. Caruso has notably become a solid 3PT shooter as well and is currently converting 3PT shots at a rate of 39.1%. The Knicks have recently been touted as a candidate to land Alex Caruso.
Though the New York Knicks would have to give up two promising young players and two valuable draft picks in this scenario, taking the risk on Zach LaVine is absolutely worth it. The Knicks would have three All-Star level players on the roster if they acquired him, and there is no doubt that Zach LaVine could help them take the next step to become a contending team.
The Miami Heat Get Two Key Veterans
The Miami Heat have been solid this year, but it is clear that they need some sort of difference-making player to get over the hump in the Eastern Conference. In this trade scenario, they would make a win-now move to acquire DeMar DeRozan, creating a superteam in the process.
DeMar DeRozan is a player that would absolutely help the Miami Heat’s offense with his shot creation and playmaking ability. As of right now, the Miami Heat have an offensive rating of 111.9, which makes them a bottom -6 offense in the league. It makes sense for the team to try and address that issue by trading for an offensive star. They have notably had an interest in acquiring DeMar DeRozan in the past. DeMar DeRozan notably excels at scoring from the midrange area, and he would give the team another elite closer next to Jimmy Butler. As of right now, DeMar DeRozan is averaging 26.1 PPG, 5.1 RPG, and 4.9 APG.
Derrick Rose would likely be a backup point guard for the Miami Heat, but there’s also a possibility that he ends up filling Kyle Lowry’s position as a starter. Rose has not played much for the New York Knicks this year, but perhaps he could contribute on a different team. As of right now, he is still a solid ballhandler and slasher and has developed a solid 3PT shooter in the last two seasons. He is a player that the Miami Heat should absolutely take a chance on, and it has already been revealed that they want to trade for him. It has also been reported that the New York Knicks want to trade Derrick Rose only if he lands in a good situation, and there would be fewer better situations for Rose than the Heat.
The Miami Heat would be giving up Kyle Lowry, Caleb Martin, and their 2029 first-round pick to get DeMar DeRozan and Derrick Rose. Though Caleb Martin and Kyle Lowry are both solid veterans for the team, it is worth moving them to get a star player like DeMar DeRozan. The 2029 first-round pick could end up being valuable as well, but at this point, the priority should be for the front office to maximize the team’s current core. Overall, this is a great win-now deal for the Heat that will help them get further in the playoffs.
The Chicago Bulls Get Young Players And Draft Compensation
This trade for the Chicago Bulls is about starting a new era for their franchise. The DeMar DeRozan-Zach LaVine era has clearly not gone as planned, and perhaps it is time to rebuild. This deal would net the Chicago Bulls a huge package that involves young players and draft compensation.
The key prospects that the team would get in this deal are Immanuel Quickley and Cam Reddish. Immanuel Quickley is a solid combo guard who can potentially become a star-level player in the future. Over the course of the last 15 games, Immanuel Quickley has averaged 17.7 PPG, 4.1 RPG, and 3.7 APG while showing his ballhandling, shiftiness, and defensive ability. He would be a solid building block for the Chicago Bulls. Cam Reddish is a wing player that has bounced around the league but still has some untapped potential. Reddish has shown that he can be a solid 3 and D wing during the 2021-22 season, and perhaps the Bulls are a team that can unlock him.
Caleb Martin, Kyle Lowry, and Evan Fournier are all veteran players that would help the teams fulfill the salary requirements for the deal. However, they could all be traded down the line, as they would still get minutes on the Bulls and would be able to build up their trade value. Caleb Martin would be a valuable piece for any contender in particular, as he is a forward that can shoot well from range and guard multiple positions.
The three first-round picks involved in this deal are in the future, and all have a good chance of being valuable. The Knicks and Heat picks are both in 2029, and both teams are unlikely to be competing at that point in time. The Bucks’ pick is in 2025, two years from now. While Giannis Antetokounmpo will still likely be on the team, key veterans such as Jrue Holiday and Brook Lopez will be older, which means they would possibly be a mediocre team by that point in time.
It remains to be seen if the Chicago Bulls do end up making a trade with this framework in the future. This could be a great deal that would set up their future, and it’ll be interesting to see if this is something they would consider.
This Deal Works Out Well For All Three Teams
Overall, this is a trade that could end up helping all three teams reach their goals, both long and short-term. The Knicks would be able to get a dynamic shooting guard that is just entering his prime in Zach LaVine, and a great defensive backup guard in Alex Caruso to round out their team. The Heat would land DeMar DeRozan to pair with Jimmy Butler and get a steady veteran point guard with Derrick Rose. Both teams would be able to improve immediately and go into the playoffs with a better chance of competing.
The Chicago Bulls would likely enter a rebuild in this scenario. This is the year to do it: Victor Wembanyama and Scoot Henderson headline the class, and both could end up being franchise-changing prospects. The Orlando Magic own the Bulls’ first-round pick, but it is top-5 protected, which means if the Bulls bottom out and get a top-5 pick, they’d still be able to draft an elite prospect for the future.
This trade should be a move that is considered by all three teams. Obviously, not all three-team trades end up happening. However, this is a trade that makes sense for everyone involved, and we’ll see what happens in the future.
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