According to Chicago Bulls head coach Billy Donovan, Zach LaVine will miss at least another week with an ankle issue, per Jovan Buha of The Athletic. LaVine injured his ankle in the Bulls’ November 18 win over the Toronto Raptors, and while he remained in that game to fight through it, he hasn’t been back on the court since.
The timing of LaVine’s injury is intriguing, to say the least, as the February 8 trade deadline is right around the corner. LaVine’s name has been consistently brought up in trade rumors, yet recent indications have let off the belief that it could be difficult for the Bulls due to his huge contract and injury problems.
Multiple teams around the league have been linked to LaVine, with the Sacramento Kings, Golden State Warriors, and Los Angeles Lakers being the main ones.
Bulls head coach Billy Donovan says Zach LaVine (ankle) is likely to miss at least another week.
— Jovan Buha (@jovanbuha) January 26, 2024
That said, reports have recently noted the Lakers’ loss of interest in LaVine as they are looking at other options to improve their play at the guard positions.
Chicago is in a weird spot heading into the deadline. They’ve played well after an ugly start to the season, pushing their way back up into the Play-In Tournament. However, they still don’t have the talent to compete with the top teams in the Eastern Conference.
In turn, selling off assets in favor of a rebuild could be smart. That said, the Bulls seem intent on restructuring the roster instead of entering a full-on rebuild.
Trading LaVine could lead to them shaking things up while also staying competitive.
