This season, Zach LaVine has struggled with foot and ankle injuries while there are rumors about him leaving Chicago through a trade.
LaVine was out for 38 days after the Bulls shut him down on Dec. 6 due to inflammation on the outside of his right foot. The expected recovery time was three to four weeks..
During LaVine's absence, the Bulls went 10-7 and underwent an offensive transformation.
We’re keeping up with all the news about LaVine.
LaVine will be sidelined for at least one week due to a right ankle injury.
After playing six games, LaVine sprained his ankle against the Toronto Raptors and will be out for at least a week, according to the Bulls PR.
As a result, he will miss the game against the Memphis Grizzlies and could also miss the entire road trip next week.
He rolled his ankle after landing on Jontay Porter's foot.
LaVine promptly left the game and headed to the locker room for treatment, visibly frustrated and in pain.
After a brief return, he struggled and was eventually taken out of the game.
Although he briefly re-entered the game, he was quickly pulled out again after struggling with his performance.
Coach Billy Donovan mentioned that LaVine was not moving well after the injury and could not regain full speed. He did not score after returning to the court.
The concern for the Bulls regarding LaVine's injury is two-fold.
The team is already dealing with several injuries, and losing LaVine would be another setback, especially if he is out for more than four games.
The bigger concern for the Bulls is how to generate interest in trading LaVine, who is having one of his lowest-scoring seasons and struggling with injuries.
Throughout his return, LaVine has been unselfish, averaging 16.8 points and 5.7 assists in the last seven games.
With the trade deadline approaching, the question is whether LaVine can stay healthy and prove to other teams that he is worth a significant trade.
Jan. 5: LaVine deals with inquiries — and high hopes — in comeback
LaVine is set to participate in his first game in 38 days Friday against the Charlotte Hornets, returning from a right foot injury. The Bulls went 10-7 while he was out, somewhat evening out the poor 5-14 start that cast doubt on their season in the first few weeks.
But after a morning shootaround at the Advocate Center, LaVine didn’t want to discuss records or questions about his status.
“My main goal is to come out here and just get back to playing,” he said. “If I let opinions affect me, I wouldn’t be where I’m at today. I could care less what people think about me. I know who I am and what I do. I know what I have to go out there and do is help provide for the team and help us win so that’s all I’ve been trying to focus on.”
For LaVine, Friday’s game will be the first chance to try to adapt to an improved style of play that contributed to the team’s positive record during the 17 games he missed.
Jan. 3: ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reports ‘no market’ for LaVine ahead of expected Friday return
The stakes are high for LaVine if he returns for the Bulls against the Charlotte Hornets on Friday night.
After responding positively to another intense practice on Wednesday, coach Billy Donovan said ahead of Wednesday’s game in New York that LaVine is moving in a positive direction for a return on Friday. But if and when he does return, LaVine will face immediate uncertainty about a potential trade away from the Bulls.
LaVine has been stuck in trade rumors since November when the guard did not deny a report that he is keen on being traded. This was the first time in LaVine’s seven years with the Bulls that he expressed interest — even indirectly through Klutch Sports agent Rich Paul — in leaving the Bulls.
But getting a trade out of Chicago might be easier than it sounds. Ahead of Wednesday’s game, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski said on “NBA Countdown” there aren’t any current trade partners for the Bulls.
“There is no market for Zach LaVine right now,” Wojnarowski said. “They may in the end just have to be glad that they can find a team that will take on his contract.”
The interest in LaVine continues to be a point of controversy in the NBA. USA Today’s Jeff Zillgitt reported Wednesday that LaVine is still drawing interest from the Los Angeles Lakers, who have been at the forefront of any conversation about the guard’s trade since the start of the season. Yet Wojnarowski and others across the league report that no market exists for the guard, ruling out potential trades to teams formerly connected to LaVine like the Philadelphia 76ers and the Miami Heat.
What is clear is that LaVine has plenty to play for, whether he hopes to stay or leave.
Before he was sidelinedby injury, LaVine had the worst start to a season in his career. He averaged 21 points and 3.4 assists per game while shooting a career-low 33.6% from 3-point range, struggling to spark the offense. The Bulls improved on both ends of the court almost immediately after LaVine’s departure, raising further questions on what impact he could bring to other rosters around the league.
And the Bulls are significantly hindered in trying to trade LaVine by the $215 million maximum contract they signed him to in 2022. Given his impressive scoring ability, it’s obvious LaVine would be a more appealing option if he had a more flexible deal. But few teams in the league are able to adjust their roster to accommodate a maximum player, let alone a player like LaVine who is uncertain.
Donovan stated it’s uncertain if LaVine will have a limit on minutes when he comes back on Friday. But regardless of how much playing time he gets, the guard needs to show two things with his performance — first, that he can still lead the Bulls offense, and second, that he is a valuable asset for teams to consider before the Feb. 8 trade deadline.
Jan. 2: LaVine may come back as soon as Friday’s home game against the Charlotte Hornets
LaVine is set to return to the Bulls in the next week after responding “very, very well” to his first two days of contact practices with the G League team Windy City Bulls, coach Billy Donovan announced on Tuesday in Philadelphia.
“The only information I received is that it went very, very well,” Donovan said. “He responded well coming back in this morning and we’ll see how he responds tomorrow.”
LaVine took part in a full practice with Windy City on Monday, then had a lighter day of contact practice and training on Tuesday. He is expected to participate in another intense workout on Wednesday, followed by a lighter day on Thursday.
Even though Donovan did not specify the return date, he said LaVine could be ready for Friday’s game against the Hornets at the United Center if he gets clearance from the medical team.
“I don’t want to rule it out,” Donovan said. “The part we’re most concerned about is when he starts having to do all that cutting, how he responded. And he responded well. So now we’ve gotten through that and now he’s ramping up.
“I just don’t know, for the medical staff, how many days they want to see him because he’s been out 15, 16, 17 games. What do they feel is an adequate enough time for him to get his legs back under him? That would be it.”
The Bulls have a favorable schedule for LaVine to return over the next week. After road games Tuesday and Wednesday in Philadelphia and New York, they play three of their next four at home before leaving for a weeklong trip to San Antonio, Cleveland and Toronto.
If LaVine doesn’t play Friday, he could return on the road against the Hornets on Monday or at home against the Houston Rockets on Jan. 10 or the Golden State Warriors on Jan. 12.
“I don’t know what the exact date is going to be, but the way he’s progressing right now and the fact that he’s in full-fledged contact is very, very positive,” Donovan said.
Jan. 1: LaVine is assigned to the Windy City Bulls for contact practices
Zach LaVine is close to a return for the Bulls after missing 15 games with a right foot injury.
The two-time All-Star guard on Monday was assigned to the Windy City Bulls — the team’s G League affiliate — to begin contact practices this week.
LaVine started increasing his level of activity on Dec. 26 to see how comfortable he felt moving from side to side and doing cutting exercises. After making progress over the past week without any setbacks, he will start taking part in practices involving physical contact with Windy City. This is the final step before getting permission to return to playing.
Despite traveling with the Bulls for nearly every away game since getting injured, LaVine will stay home from a two-game trip to Philadelphia and New York this week in order to take part in those practices.
The Bulls seem to have figured out a way to win with the current group of players, but they have not yet had a chance to see how LaVine can fit into that style of play.And although LaVine began the season in the spotlight due to reports about his interest in being traded, his absence has made his situation with the team even more important as the Feb. 8 trade deadline approaches.
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