3 reasons why Zach LaVine joining the Lakers is likely

2. The Los Angeles Lakers will be more willing to trade pick(s) in a Russell Westbrook salary dump

We recently broke down the three things that must happen for the Los Angeles Lakers to even think about trading for Zach LaVine. Russell Westbrook obviously has to be in the deal but the Bulls would rather let LaVine walk somewhere else for free than take on Westbrook’s contract. Thus, the Lakers need to loop a third team in that can take on Westbrook as a salary dump and send assets to Chicago.

The New York Knicks are the perfect team as the Bulls could get a package of Julius Randle and Evan Fournier for LaVine. That obviously is not a perfect swap value-wise but it is much better than simply losing him for nothing or taking on a bad contract like Westbrook.

If the Lakers were executing a two-team salary-dump trade that sent Westbrook to New York then the team may not be willing to send a future first-round pick (as well as a pick swap) to make it happen. Without that, even though they would get cap flexibility, the Knicks would be hard-pressed to agree to a trade.

However, if the Lakers are getting LaVine back in a deal then they are absolutely going to be more willing to trade a first-round pick and also attach a pick swap in 2028 as well. Now, the Knicks have much more incentive to do a Westbrook salary-dump trade as they are getting two picks that could be very valuable to them.

That makes this a better situation for the Knicks as well. New York would actually benefit from LaVine forcing his way to LA.