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It took them much longer than expected to realize they needed a change, but the Chicago Bulls have finally started their rebuild.
Unfortunately for them, they haven’t been able to go full-scale about it just yet as they still have Zach LaVine on the roster.
LaVine is currently a negative trade asset right now.
He’s injury-prone, not a good defender, is making a lot of money, and has made it loud and clear that he wants to leave.
That, plus his feud with coach Billy Donovan and the fact that he knows the Bulls are also trying to get rid of him could make for an awkward situation next season.
According to a report by Bulls insider Joe Cowley, Arturas Karnisovas is very worried about LaVine’s situation and how it could lead to a dysfunctional locker room (via Legion Hoops).
REPORT: Bulls exec Arturas Karnisovas is concerned the distrust Zach LaVine has with Billy Donovan might lead to a
‘dysfunctional’ locker room, per @JCowleyHoops.
“The source said a key buffer between the two, especially as far as LaVine is concerned, was veteran forward DeMar… pic.twitter.com/79qD2YbcDA
— Legion Hoops (@LegionHoops) July 22, 2024
The report adds that DeMar DeRozan was usually ‘a buffer’ for LaVine’s beef with Donovan, and with him now gone to the Sacramento Kings, that buffer won’t be there anymore.
The Bulls also parted ways with another key veteran in Alex Caruso.
LaVine has been vocal about not seeing eye-to-eye with coach Donovan in the past, and all signs pointed to him getting traded last season before he suffered multiple injuries.
At this point, it seems like the Bulls might only be able to part ways with him by attaching a first-round pick to his bad contract, and that’s not in their best interests, given that they’re rebuilding.
Then again, they cannot afford to have him there as a disruptive agent either if it comes down to that.
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