The Chicago Bulls have been trying for more than a year to trade Zach LaVine, with no luck. Other teams see him as an expensive floor raiser, a player making $138 million across the next three seasons who can put up points in isolation but is injury-prone (25 games last season) and doesn’t do the little things that contribute to high-level team success (such as defend).
Chicago is starting the season with LaVine and he looked sharp against Memphis on Saturday, scoring 28 and going 6-of-6 from beyond the arc.
Here is what Bulls coach Billy Donovan said postgame about LaVine, via Sam Smith of NBA.com.
“Zach was really decisive. He took his shots when they were there. What was encouraging on the threes, there was no hesitation; he just went up and shot it. He got off to a great start, shot unbelievable from three. He can get on a run. He can go 0-for-4 and then come back and make 6-for-6, so I never worry (if he’s missing). I thought he was really decisive, and when he had daylight and a crack he shot it. We need him to do that. When he’s got a head of steam, his athletic ability and his ability to shoot the ball and put it on the floor, he’s really hard to guard. He is one of the better open floor players in transition.”
The question was never, “Can LaVine score enough?” He’s long been elite in isolation and in transition as a finisher.
LaVine, showing he is healthy and playing well to start the season, can do a couple of things. One — which Bulls fans should hope for — is it raises his trade value. Second, if he is playing well, along with Josh Giddey finding his lane as a shot creator and Nikola Vucevic being healthy and sharp, the Bulls can start to win games and look like a play-in team. Which might lead to ownership pumping the brakes (again) on a needed rebuild to chase a postseason spot.
One thing is certain: If LaVine plays like this, there will be plenty of highlights.