NBA pre-season bold predictions: Bulls’ Zach LaVine will demand a trade

As we continue our NBA pre-season bold predictions, we predict that Zach LaVine will demand a trade from the Chicago Bulls.

Through roughly the first half of last season, the Chicago Bulls were sitting pretty. It seemed as if their offseason spending on Lonzo Ball and DeMar DeRozan had paid off swimmingly. Then, the second half of the season happened.

Injuries and second-half struggles against teams with winning records led to the Bulls limping into the postseason and losing in five games to the Milwaukee Bucks in the first round. After their hot start to the year, it ended up being quite a disappointing season.

One of the biggest concerns for the Bulls heading into 2022-23 is if those same issues linger once again.

If those struggles fade into this season for the Chicago Bulls, it could get bad

If the Bulls pick up where they left off last season, and that’s not a good thing, it will leave this franchise will more questions than answers.

Nearly every team that made the playoffs in the Eastern Conference last season improved on some level this offseason. The Bulls didn’t (unless you’re extremely high on Goran Dragic), and will still be without Lonzo Ball to start the season.

I predict that the Bulls will get off to a shaky start this season and it will lead to some internal turmoil where we see Zach LaVine pressure the franchise for a trade.