Chicago Bulls head coach Fred Hoiberg shared promising news about Zach LaVine's road to recovery recently, as he made it known that he is now taking light contact at practice. He also added, via Vincent Goodwill of NBC Sports, that the team is planning to increase his activity daily, and that he is on track to return to action by mid-December.

“He’s going to have to string together a lot of really good days, and he knows that,” Hoiberg said. “He understands that. The important thing is he’s right on track from where it was said after the injury. He’s been doing a great job with his rehab. He’s on time. He’s doing everything that’s asked of him. His strength numbers are where they’re supposed to be. I’m confident he’s going to keep making progress. But we’ll absolutely monitor it daily and hopefully it’ll just continue to get better.”

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The two-time Slam Dunk Contest champion suffered an ACL tear last season, and was only able to suit up in 47 games for the Minnesota Timberwolves. He has since undergone surgery and was given a timetable of nine months for his rehabilitation. LaVine then became part of the draft night deal that centered around Jimmy Butler, which landed him in Chicago.

Should LaVine indeed make his debut for the Bulls next month, it will be a huge boost to them, as he will add depth to their guard rotation. However, it remains to be seen if he can regain his old form quickly, and showcase his athleticism with his high-flying attacks to the basket. If he can produce numbers close to what he was having prior to the injury, it will also definitely speed up the Bulls' rebuilding process.