How Will Zach LaVine Approach Next Season? Everyone Wants Lauri, Fearing the Wrong Trade, and Other Bulls Bullets

Yesterday, we pondered how Billy Donovan might be feeling. Today, I’m doing the same for Zach LaVine.

All the chatter around Zach LaVine has centered around one thing – finding a trade partner. While we can never say never in the NBA, the chances of that happening at this point in time are the thinnest they’ve ever been. And, with that being the case, the idea of LaVine stepping back into the United Center is becoming more and more real by the day. How is he going to feel about that? Will he use it as motivation or will he let the presumed frustration get the best of him?

I can’t imagine suiting up for an organization that has been begging opponents to take you off their hands is appetizing. All things considered, I wouldn’t necessarily blame LaVine if he chose to (1) hold out for a trade or (2) act completely emotionally detached from the locker room and his teammates. We’ve seen All-Star players do it before, especially those who have Klutch serving as their management team. At the same time, this surely isn’t in LaVine’s best interest. The lack of trade market revolves heavily around his injury history and losing resume. If he wants to end up in a more competitive environment, showing people he’s fully healthy and a good teammate should get the job done.

For what it’s worth, LaVine did show flashes of being a more well-rounded contributor during his brief return from injury in January of last season. He averaged 6.0 rebounds and 5.0 assists while shooting 39.0 percent from the field over his seven games before, once again, hitting the injury report. Still, the problem was that he didn’t appear as motivated to score the basketball (15.6 PPG), which might as well remain his strong suit. Finding a way to combine that version of LaVine with the aggressive scorer we’ve known for years should be his goal to begin the year. Again, I understand that his frustration with the franchise may motivate him to not put his best foot forward, but that isn’t going to be what is best for him in the long run. Put all of the drama aside, play well, and LaVine should end up in his best situation yet.
The good news is that a backcourt of Josh Giddey, Coby White, and Zach LaVine could be lightening up teams offensively! The bad news is that our eyes will start bleeding when they play defense.

Meanwhile, as we wait out this toxic Zach LaVine situation, Lauri Markkanen could be on the verge of a max contract and is one of the most desirable trade chips in the NBA. Life really comes at you fast.

We can never trust the Chicago Bulls will do the right thing, so I do have a massive fear that they will look for a trade sooner rather than later that sends them in the opposite direction. To put it differently, the idea of being mediocre and vying for the Play-In Tournament has been so tempting for them in the past that I think it’s possible they relapse. What if Josh Giddey is looking slightly better than expected? Or Patrick Williams is finally contributing more offensively? I could see Arturas Karnisovas using the salary of Zach LaVine, Nikola Vucevic, or even Lonzo Ball to add some veteran pieces. I hope that’s just the emotionally scarred side of my brain speaking as opposed to the rational one.