The Chicago Bulls were a train wreck earlier this season, stumbling out to a 5-14 record as Zach LaVine trade rumors swirled after he went to the front office and asked about the possibility of a trade. However, something crazy has happened since LaVine went out with a foot injury: the Bulls are winning games and looking like a totally different team.
Chicago is 7-3 in the last 10 games since LaVine went down. The Bulls have racked up impressive road wins against the likes of the Milwaukee Bucks, Miami Heat and Philadelphia 76ers, and they just blew the doors off the Los Angeles Lakers on Wednesday night at the United Center. After the 124-108 win over the Lakers, Bulls head coach Billy Donovan was asked flat-out if the team is better without LaVine in the lineup.
“I believe that if he can come back healthy that hopefully he’ll thrive a great deal in what we’re trying to do,” Donovan said, according to Julia Poe of the Chicago Tribune.
It's unclear if LaVine will actually play another game for Chicago and show that he can actually fit in with how the team is playing. The Bulls star is still rehabbing from his injury and likely won't be ready to play in a game for another few weeks.
Could a trade come together by then?
Zach LaVine's cold trade market
Zach LaVine's trade market isn't too hot right now with so much time left until the February trade deadline. The Lakers have been mentioned as a potential trade partner and look like a team that could use his scoring prowess, but a trade offer without Austin Reaves (the Lakers don't want to trade him) isn't too appealing. As it stands, a deal would likely be based around D'Angelo Russell, Rui Hachimura and a future first-round pick, though Hachimura can't be dealt until Jan. 15. Coincidentally enough, that's around the time LaVine will be ready to play again.
It has also been reported that the Lakers would prefer a deal for DeMar DeRozan and Alex Caruso instead of LaVine, and the bottom line is there's no guarantee the two-time All-Star gets his rumored wish of a trade to LA. If no other suitor steps up and makes an offer the Bulls like, would they actually welcome him back given how things have played out this season?
How the Bulls have had success without LaVine
Zach LaVine is still one of the most talented scorers in the NBA, but there was no doubt he wasn't at his best this season as all the trade talk heated up. Chicago's offense was again one of the worst in the NBA, with the defense also taking a step back from last season. While this wasn't all LaVine's fault, the clunky fit with DeMar DeRozan and Nikola Vucevic plus the awful vibes around the team had them on the verge of a blowup.
Things have totally turned around with LaVine out of the lineup, with Coby White taking advantage of the opportunity and blossoming into a potential star. White is averaging 24.6 points, 6.6 assists and 6.5 rebounds while shooting 48.6% from the field and 48.4% from 3-point range over the last 10 games.
With White taking this bigger role amid LaVine's absence, Chicago's offense is operating at a whole new level. The ball is moving a lot more and a number of players are stepping up. Moving past veterans like DeRozan, Vucevic and Alex Caruso, youngsters Patrick Williams, Ayo Dosunmu and even Dalen Terry are making important contributions.
The Bulls are first in the NBA in 3-point percentage (41.9%) and first in offensive rebound percentage in the last 10 games, two points of emphasis coming into the season. That has their offensive rating at 12th over this stretch, a big jump from their 26th ranking earlier in the season.
Would LaVine buy in if he returns to Bulls from injury?
Zach LaVine should theoretically thrive the way the Bulls are playing right now. He's an elite shooter and can take advantage of defensive mismatches by attacking the basket. The problem before is LaVine wasn't playing this style, freelancing too much and stagnating the offense while also playing poor defense. His desire to be elsewhere was evident as the pairing with DeRozan and Vucevic stunk up the joint on the way to that 5-14 record.
Would LaVine's outlook change if he came back or would he just ruin everything? Are the Bulls actually better without him?
These are all fascinating questions. Coby White would never have broken out the way he has with LaVine in the lineup, so that dynamic would be something to watch. The LaVine-DeRozan-Vucevic trio has long been somewhat awkward, though they did have success when Lonzo Ball was in the lineup in the 2021-22 season. If LaVine returned and actually bought in, perhaps that and the emergence of White and Patrick Williams would help spur this group to new, surprising heights after previously looking dead in the water.
But LaVine would have to prove this. The Bulls also have to show they can keep this up without him. They're playing better right now, but some of this is based on unsustainable shooting and they could come back down to earth. If that happened, the conversation would change again and focus would return to blowing up the roster with not only a LaVine trade, but DeRozan and Caruso trades as well. These trades are being rumored as possibilities with the Bulls still sitting at just 12-17 and on the edge of the East play-in picture, but if they keep playing well trading DeRozan and Caruso becomes more unlikely.
This Bulls season has gone from a total disaster to one of actual intrigue with this run. We'll see what's in store for them and Zach LaVine in the coming weeks.
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