Bulls Might Reconsider Trading LaVine After Latest Instagram Post

Chicago's two-time All-Star was as good as gone just a month ago. In the season-ending media session with the front office, Arturas Karnisovas admitted it's time to change after missing the postseason for a second consecutive year. Zach LaVine, their highest-paid player and star shooting guard, has been dangled over the past two years at the trade deadline and over the summer. All signs have pointed to bringing back DeMar DeRozan, who has a mutual interest in a continued marriage with Chicago. One major chess piece remains unmoved: the former UCLA shooting guard. Does his latest hype video make the Bulls think twice before shipping him elsewhere, or is his lucrative contract loom too large to continue putting their chips in his basket?

Worst Days As A Bull

After opting for season-ending surgery just before the trade deadline in February of this year, LaVine ended arguably his worst season as a Chicago Bull. Averaging just 19.5 points, 5.2 rebounds, and 3.9 assists while shooting 34% from three-point range for his lowest mark in seven seasons, it was a welcomed reset for the former All-Star. While Karnisovas may have said that the team is "better with Zach on the team," he's also overruled some of his statements regarding continuity and keeping this core together. The general assumption is that LaVine and his grossly overpriced contract will be in different threads for the 2024-25 campaign.

Chicago muddled their way to another sub-par 39-43 regular season finish and earned themselves a second straight NBA Play-In Tournament berth. First defending home court by beating the Atlanta Hawks, they fell short to the Miami Heat for the final spot in the postseason, exactly how the 2022-23 season ended. Known for his beloved "continuity" among his rosters, Karnisovas had no choice but to fold his hand immediately following another disappointing finish.

Back To 2020 LaVine

In 2020-21, conveniently with a future contract at stake in the coming years, LaVine produced the best season of his career. He put up a staggering 27.4/5.0/4.9 stat line per game while shooting 50.7% from the field and 41.9% from deep, both his best career marks. In 2021, he coasted to a slightly less impressive campaign and rode his momentum from the 2020 year to negotiate his way into a top-10 paid player. He's now the only top-15-paid player without an All-NBA nomination. This is without mentioning that he's only got one career playoff win, one postseason appearance, and two All-Star nods in his seven years with the Bulls. Does an offseason hype video bring the same excitement as it did several years ago?

Players rarely return to form immediately following lower-leg surgery, but LaVine does have a few factors in his favor. Unrelenting trade rumors for the past six months, discrediting his name nationally by several media outlets, and being under 30 years old all play in his favor for an explosive return. Does Chicago see his progress and try to run it back with the same power duo, he and DeRozan, now that they'll have a valid point guard at the helm, or will his newfound bounce be used elsewhere?