As the trade machine works overtime in Chicago, Bulls star Zach LaVine isn’t shying away from the idea of a potential breakup with the franchise. In a recent chat with ESPN insider Jamal Collier, LaVine expressed frustration over the situation and lamented the lack of progress that the team has made since his arrival years ago.
“I’m frustrated we’re not winning,” LaVine said. “I think if you’re not frustrated, that’s a problem. It’s an upsetting thing when we’ve been trying to do the right thing for the last three or four years. It seems like we’re in the same place. We’re trying to get over that hump.”
In situations like this, it seems normal to expect a trade request or some kind of formal action from the player, but LaVine has so far denied the opportunity to advocate for a change of scenery. Of course, he hasn’t outright denied his interest in leaving the Bulls either, suggesting that the door is still very much open for his departure.
“That’s why I have representatives like Rich Paul,” LaVine said referring to his agent. “If he speaks on my behalf, that’s my agent. That’s who I obviously have my camp with. They talk to Arturas [Karnisovas] and them. My job is to go out here and play. Simple as that.”
The End Of The Line For The Bulls
LaVine has been through plenty of ups and downs since joining the Bulls. Perhaps the greatest stretch of his time there was during the 2021-22 season, when the Bulls with LaVine, DeRozan, Lonzo Ball, and Nikola Vucevic went 25-10 through the first few months of the season. As late as January 20th, they were first in the East and looked on track to be a major player in the Eastern Conference. But after Lonzo’s injury that season, the Bulls fell off hard and never recovered.
Without a high-level point guard to run the offense and generate points, the Bulls have struggled to score throughout the years and currently have the fourth-worst field goal percentage in the NBA at 44.3%. With a record of 4-7 so far, the Bulls are once again on track to finish near the bottom of the standings and it makes sense why both LaVine and the Bulls franchise seem ready to move on and try something new.
Which Team Will Land LaVine?
As Chicago tests the market for Zach, they shouldn’t expect a massive influx of offers. While LaVine is a high-quality scorer, he’s a one-dimensional player who only helps in very specific ways on the basketball court. Plus, with an annual salary of $43 million, there aren’t many teams who are interested in paying that kind of money for such a one-sided player.
Even so, there are a few teams who stand out as a potential landing spot for LaVine. The Lakers could be a good fit depending on who they give up. The Orlando Magic are also an intriguing possibility given their needs in the backcourt and the assets they currently have to offer in a trade. Until the deal happens, there’s no way to know for sure where LaVine will end up but it seems inevitable now that major change is on the way and most can agree that it’s been long overdue for the Bulls franchise.
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