NBA Trade Rumors: Knicks are targeting Zach LaVine

The NBA continues to trudge along, coping with COVID-19 through extended rosters and two-way contracts. As the pandemic continues to impact teams on a nightly basis, general managers are looking at potential trades that can supply some stability and push their clubs over their top.

Let’s take a look at the latest trade rumors from around the league this week.

Lonzo Ball is on the block

The New Orleans Pelicans started the season with high hopes. Second-year star Zion Williamson was expected to make a big leap, and fellow young star Brandon Ingram appeared to be an excellent scoring option that could lead the team to victory on any given night. The Pelicans also added Eric Bledsoe and Steven Adams in the offseason, and had the look of a team with more than enough talent to make a playoff run. 19 games into their season, however, they sit at just 7-12 and are in last place in the Southwest Division.

As a result, Lonzo Ball is on the trading block. Ball has been a player in a constant state of flux, owing to his unusual playing style coupled with inconsistent roster stability. He offers a skill set that can potentially excel in the right system and with the right players around him, but the trick for any team looking to acquire him is if that perfect fit exists.That right fit might be the Chicago Bulls, who have several multidimensional big men that would benefit from his his more traditional point guard skill set. Speaking of the Bulls...

Knicks have sights set on Zach LaVine

Zach LaVine has been rumored as a potential fit for the Los Angeles Lakers, but there's a team on the other coast that may have eyes on the young high-flyer as well. The New York Knicks had a great start to their season (as far as Knicks’ seasons go), and are could still reach the postseason.

The problem for the Knicks is they are almost entirely reliant on big man Julius Randle, who leads the team in all major offensive statistical categories. Young guard Immanuel Quickley is enjoying a Jeremy-Lin-esque rise, but the Knicks need help if they hope to make the playoffs for the first time since 2013.

LaVine is an excellent option for the Knicks if they are willing to take a shot at making a run this year. He would also give them hope for a brighter future.

Is Derrick Rose L.A. bound?

We wrote about the possibility of Derrick Rose joining forces with LeBron James and Anthony Davis several weeks ago, and the rumors haven’t subsided. The Detroit Pistons are in second-to-last place in the Eastern Conference, and at 5-15 have no real expectations for success in 2021.

Rose is a veteran with plenty to still contribute in the league, but is on a team that needs to focus on a rebuild. The Lakers could use another solid veteran and interchangeable starter/second rotation player, so the match seems increasingly likely.

The question for the Lakers will be which pieces they’re willing to part with that also interest the Pistons. Kyle Kuzma is rumored to be a key figure in a possible swap, but that could be too high a price to pay for a 32-year-old on an expiring deal.

Will Mavs swap Porzingis for Turner? 

One rumor we’ve heard floated is the possibility of the Dallas Mavericks parting with big man Kristaps Porzingis in an effort to improve their overall roster around Luka Doncic.

The path to doing this would be a trade with the Victor Oladipo-less Indiana Pacers, who may be looking at overhauling their roster. The key piece for the Mavs would be big man Myles Turner, who is averaging 14.1 points and 6.7 rebounds per game while shooting 33% from deep. Turner's name has popped up in a number of trade rumors lately, and could be a deadly pick-and-roll partner for Doncic.