The Chicago Bulls are listing starting shooting guard Zach LaVine as probable to play against the Detroit Pistons on Sunday despite dealing with a patellar tendon strain, per K.C. Johnson of the Chicago Tribune.
LaVine played 38 minutes on Friday in the Bulls' home loss to Detroit. The high-flyer finished with 24 points, six rebounds and two assists while shooting 9-of-18 from the field.
Zach LaVine has patellar tendon strain but probable vs. Pistons. Bulls had non-contact practice anyway.
— K.C. Johnson (@KCJHoop) March 9, 2019
The Bulls are 19-48 on the season. They are in the 13th spot in the Eastern Conference standings.
Article Continues BelowIn his second season with the Bulls, Zach LaVine is putting up stellar numbers. The 23-year-old is averaging 23.8 points, 4.6 rebounds and 4.4 assists per game while shooting 46.8 percent from the field, 36.8 percent from beyond the arc and 83.3 percent from the free-throw line.
LaVine has fully lived up to the four-year, $78 million deal he signed with the team last summer. Chicago, despite having a terrible record this season, has a nice young core of LaVine, small forward Otto Porter Jr., power forward Lauri Markkanen and center Wendell Carter Jr.
Now, it's up to the front office to build the team around those four players.
The Windy City team should be careful with LaVine's minutes moving forward. The last thing the franchise wants to do is get LaVine hurt heading into the summer.