NBA Rumors: Zach LaVine is ready to embrace a new season - and new opportunity - with the Chicago Bulls.
Unless there's a sudden change between and the next month, all signs point to Zach LaVine beginning the season on the Chicago Bulls roster. After months of trying to trade LaVine, it doesn't seem as if the Bulls are going to find a deal to get done. That leaves both the Bulls and LaVine in an awkward position heading into the start of the season. At this point, all there is to be done is to attempt to make the best out of the situation.
There's no more value in pouting; the Bulls and LaVine, at least for now, appear stuck with each other. If that is indeed the case, it would make sense for both to try to make lemonade out of lemons. At least for LaVine, that does seem to be the approach he's taking heading into the start of the season.
If the LaVine-Bulls dynamic is not going to work this season, LaVine is making it clear that it's not going to be due to him not putting in the effort. According to a recent report, LaVine has "vowed" to not overstep the team in terms of the development of their young talent and he plans to be fully committed. At least so far, the early reports seem to indicate LaVine has done that.
Is a Zach LaVine trade ever going to happen?
Heading into the start of the season, you can't help but wonder if a LaVine trade is ever going to happen. After attempting to find a landing spot for him leading up to last year's NBA Trade Deadline and then failing to do so this past offseason, the Bulls may have to realize they are "stuck" with LaVine for at least the start of this season.
Maybe LaVine can rebuild his trade market with a strong start to the year but at this point, nothing should be guaranteed on that front. And if I were the Bulls, I would be heading into the new season under the assumption that LaVine is going to be a mainstay on the roster this season.
It'd probably be in the best interest of the Bulls to try to make a positive spin on things. Maybe there's a shot that a retooled roster with Josh Giddey could shake things up for the best moving forward, alongside LaVine.
It's certainly a shot in the dark but at this point, with the new season quickly approaching, perhaps both LaVine and the Bulls can try to make it work with each other after all.