Report: Bulls Likely To Begin Next Season With Zach LaVine On Roster

According to NBA insider Marc Stein, the Chicago Bulls will likely begin next season with Zach LaVine on the roster. 

LaVine and the Bulls want to part ways, but Chicago hasn’t found a taker for the guard due to his injury history and contract. 

“League sources say that the Bulls are thus resigned to fact that they will likely be forced to start the new season with LaVine on the roster and take it a step further by trying to help him rebuild some trade value after months of fruitless efforts to find a new home via trade — and after a foot injury and eventual surgery limited the 29-year-old to 25 games last season,” Stein reported. “The problem there, of course, is that putting LaVine in positions to rebuild his trade value is bound to clash with Chicago’s widely presumed desire to finish with one of the league’s bottom-10 records next season to enhance its chances of retaining a lottery pick that must be conveyed to San Antonio if it falls out of the top 10 in the highly rated 2025 NBA Draft.”

LaVine played in only 25 games in 2023-24. He underwent season-ending right foot surgery in February.

A two-time All-Star, LaVine averaged 19.5 points, 5.2 rebounds, 3.9 assists, 0.8 steals and 0.3 blocks in 2023-24 while shooting 45.2% from the field, 34.9% from beyond the arc and 85.4% from the free-throw line.

LaVine signed a five-year, $215 million contract with the Bulls in July 2022.

A UCLA product, LaVine has career averages of 20.5 points, 4.1 rebounds, 3.9 assists, 0.9 steals and 0.3 blocks with the Minnesota Timberwolves and Bulls. He has a 216-364 record. 

The Bulls acquired LaVine from the Timberwolves in 2017. They have made the postseason once in the LaVine era. 

According to NBA reporter Joe Cowley of The Chicago Sun-Times, the relationship between LaVine and the Bulls is “filled with mistrust.”

“An NBA insider told the Sun-Times on Tuesday that the relationship between LaVine and the team’s top brass is completely shattered and ‘filled with mistrust.’ LaVine and his representation at Klutch Sports feel like they were misled on possible trade destinations, and the Bulls thought LaVine ‘opting’ for season-ending right foot surgery when rehab on the injury was still on the table was a counterpunch thrown below the belt,” Cowley reported.