It’s more a matter of when than if we’re talking about Zach LaVine’s trade away from the Chicago Bulls. After failing to make the playoffs for the second straight year, the front office decided to blow up the current squad and go younger with their current core of players.
LaVine’s exit was secured once the team allowed DeMar DeRozan to walk and sign with the Sacramento Kings. The 29-year-old guard has been linked with multiple teams, but no real moves have been made.
While finding the right trade package is a possible reason for the delay, another likely factor that’s stopping them from pulling off the trade is LaVine himself. The guard has been openly criticized for his personality throughout the entire process.
The attack on LaVine’s character during the trade saga gets an interesting update as a source close to the situation shared a scathing criticism of the guard.
Zach LaVine was blasted for his attitude as the Chicago Bulls sort out his future
ESPN’s Jamal Collier wrote a detailed piece that dissected the current situation for the Bulls. One section looked into how LaVine’s time with the Bulls has gone and what’s next for the partnership that began in 2017.
One insider who is aware of the inner workings within the Bulls organization called out LaVine for how he acted during his time with the team, implying that he didn’t give as much as he could have for the team:
“He’s never won, he’s done it his way the whole way and never won,” a team source told ESPN. “If he’s interested in winning, he’ll do what’s asked of him. And if he’s motivated to not be here, one way is to come, be compliant and be who he is.”
It’s not claiming that LaVine wasn’t a brilliant player through the seven seasons he played with the Chicago Bulls. He averaged 24.2 PPG, 4.7 RPG, and 4.3 APG on 46.4% FG and 38.3% 3FG during his stay in the Windy City.
However, even the most ardent LaVine supporter cannot deny the fact that he hasn’t won anything while being one of the top dogs in the Bulls. While he may finally have a real shot at the title with another team, it wouldn’t have been as sweet if he managed to win it all as the star man in Chicago.
