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The level of unease between the Chicago Bulls and star point guard Zach LaVine “has increased over the past year,” according to ESPN Jamal Collier.
Collier detailed the many factors that created the discord, including LaVine’s frustration with the Bulls’ performance and the organization’s upset that he underwent season-ending foot surgery last year rather than rehab and potentially play again.
LaVine and head coach Billy Donovan “have not been on the same page the last few seasons,” according to Collier, though they have largely kept that out of the public eye. Collier provided a full breakdown:
“LaVine also felt singled out during film sessions and feels like he took too much responsibility for the team’s losses during his tenure — which produced just one playoff appearance in seven years — despite other roster failures, sources told ESPN. Donovan, meanwhile, believes he tried to convince LaVine to adopt a style of play that better suited the team, sources said, pointing to the way the Bulls competed in LaVine’s absence last year as evidence of the team’s potential if LaVine fits into the system.”
Everyone seems to know the situation with LaVine and Chicago.
An NBA Insider Marc Stein Last Friday, the Bulls reported that they were “resigned to the fact that they will likely be forced to start the new season with LaVine on their roster.”
That’s a pretty damning way to describe continuing to employ a two-time All-Star who has averaged 24.2 points on 47.1 percent shooting over the last seven seasons. But it reflects the dilemma Chicago finds itself in.
LaVine doesn’t fit the Bulls’ long-term plans as they lean more toward a long-overdue rebuild, but he’s a net negative asset right now thanks to his bulky contractFor at least a year, a commercial market has existed would have been non-existent.
Collier stressed that LaVine and the team are motivated to make things work as best they can. If the 29-year-old stays healthy and performs well, that could prompt a team to pursue a trade.
However, the points raised in Collier’s report raise questions about the ability of both sides to maintain a diplomatic relationship long enough for that to happen.
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