Bulls star Zach LaVine was on the bench for the final three minutes and 43 seconds of the team’s 108-107 loss to Orlando on Friday and was “obviously frustrated” when he spoke to reporters after the game about the decision, writes K.C. Johnson of NBC Sports Chicago.
LaVine had scored just four points on 1-of-14 shooting in his first 25 minutes and was a team-worst minus-19 on the night. When head coach Billy Donovan replaced him with Ayo Dosunmu, the Bulls were down 101-97. The team subsequently went on a 10-2 run before ultimately losing the game on a Jalen Suggs three-pointer with five seconds remaining.
“That’s Billy’s decision. He gotta lay with it,” LaVine said, per Johnson. “Do I agree with it? No. I think I can go out there and still be me even if I miss some shots. But that’s his decision. He has to stand on it.
“I’ve missed a lot of shots, man. But I’ve had a lot of games where I played terrible and in four to five minutes, I can get 15, 16 points. I just wasn’t able to shoot the next shot.”
In addition to his struggles on offense, LaVine looked “a step slow” on defense, according to Johnson. The two-time All-Star said he wasn’t sure whether he’d talk to Donovan to seek out an explanation for the decision, but the Bulls’ head coach offered one voluntarily during his own postgame media session.
“He had a tough night shooting and I thought that group really fought their way back into the game,” Donovan said, referring to the five-man unit of Dosunmu, DeMar DeRozan, Nikola Vucevic, Alex Caruso, and Javonte Green. “I played DeMar the whole second half. He seemed like he was fine physically. I came back to Zach and it was one of those games for him. He just didn’t have a great game. Great players, it happens. He cares deeply about the team. He just wasn’t playing well.
“… I’m sure he’s really disappointed. He’s a really, really competitive guy. I love working with him every day. He’s about the team. I know how much he puts into it and how much it means to him,” Donovan continued, adding that he wasn’t worried about the move having any long-term ramifications.
“The ramifications of him not being out there, to me, I was trying to do what was best for our team in that moment. That’s my job and my responsibility. I thought that was the best decision at the time. To me, I don’t look at it as anything else other than a one-off game. I know he wanted to be out there. There probably aren’t very many games in his career that he hasn’t been out there in those minutes. But that group was playing well.”
LaVine is coming off an eventful summer in which he underwent left knee surgery and also signed a five-year, maximum-salary contract worth approximately $215MM. He has missed a few games already this season as the Bulls manage his recovery from that surgery and has yet to fully hit his stride — his 20.7 points per game and 41.5% shooting percentage are his lowest marks since he averaged 16.7 PPG on 38.3% shooting in an injury-shortened 2017/18 season, his first year in Chicago.
Although LaVine wasn’t thrilled by having to watch the deciding moments of a close loss – the Bulls’ fourth in a row – from the sidelines, he said on Friday night that he’ll try to move past it.
“Obviously, I have to do a better job at the beginning of the game. I gotta make my shots,” LaVine said. “But you play a guy like me down the stretch. That’s what I do. Do I like the decision? No. Do I gotta live with it? Yeah and be ready to put my shoes on and play the next game.”
Lol Lavine is sassy
this website is the sassiest tho. I wonder if there was a conscious decision to spotlight the Zach situation over Suggs gw trey or if it just came as 2nd nature
Jalen Suggs hitting a three pointer to beat the lackluster Bulls doesn’t generate as many clicks as LaVine complaining because his coach benched him. That’s the way of media, sadly.
Great offensive player but has always been a bad defender.
LaVine is still not 100% recovered from the injury. He has no pop in his legs right now.
Bulls are 1-5 in their last 6. Rebuild coming??
LaVine will not be traded. DeRozan and Vucevic will be on the move.
Dallas????
Derozan, yes. Vucevic, not really,
1-5 in their last 6, 6-10 on the season.
Last year was 6th place in the east but out in the first round 4-1.
DeRozan is 33, Vuce is in the final year of his contract, Lonzo has injury issues, Zach just signed a huge deal.
Last year the issue was health, if players didn’t go down injured when they rated themselves now Lonzo is really the only 1 still out but the team still looks well off the boil.
More loses will mount pressure and they will either go all in for a big name or go full rebuild.
If you rebuild DeRozan is gone, Vuce is gone, Lonzo surely has to be gone and Zach is probably gone too.
Meanwhile looking at superstars possible available, I know he has big injury issues but Anthony Davis has always talked about going home to Chicago and the lakers are in a position where they would consider moving him.
Of course there’s Russ, Kyrie and Simmons but I’d stay away from all three. Julius Randle could be a name worth going fro but he’s definitely a B tier name. OG Anunoby could be worth asking about, same with Michael Porter Jr and of course lastly DeAndre Ayton once he’s trade eligible.
Personally I’d go DeRozan, Pat Will and a protected first for Anthony Davis and Kendrick Nunn. Then try flip Vuce, White and a pair of seconds for Ayton.
Then lastly Dragic for Josh Green and a second.
Leaving you with
Lonzo LaVine Caruso Davis Ayton
Ayo Nunn DJJ Ja.Green Drummond
Terry Jo.Green Bradley
Think each player would complement one another so well. Ayton at centre means AD doesn’t have to do as much of the physical tough stuff. Lonzo and Caruso on the perimeter plus two quality bigs down low make up for LaVines lack of defence.
Your going all in getting AD and pairing him with LaVine two top 20 talents but if it fails you haven’t given away to many picks, you still have young talent such as Ayton and Ayo and you can continue to run it back and try again.
From the other side of the deals Suns get Vuce and White plus some picks for Ayton. Vuce replaces Ayton, he’s a much more quietly efficient scorer who can space the floor. Coby White coming over could be a steal long term. Could he learn and take over from CP3? Plus you get some picks that’s a good deal.
Lakers swap AD and Nunn for DeRozan and Pat Will. DeRozan returns back home and doesn’t have the injury history of AD. He’s a very reliable scorer who I think would love to return home ma Donau with LeBron. Pat Will coming aswell think that’s a steal. He projects to be a great defender and should only get better under LeBron. Plus they get back a first to use shipping Russ away.
Then lastly Dallas gives up Green and a pick for Dragic. Dragic finally links up with Luka and helps ease his work load. Offers scoring and ball handling for them for Green who will eventually get replaced in the rotation by Hardy anyway.
The hardest sell would be to Pheonix but I think they jump on board
If Bulls rebuild, they won’t have any interest in Anthony Davis.
Anthony Davis is exactly where he wants to be in Los Angeles. He doesn’t have a desire to come home and play in Chicago. A better scenario is for the Lakers or the Bulls to trade for Derrick Rose. Chicago still loves Derrick. Derrick lives in Los Angeles, and would love to be in L.A. even more than Chicago. Kendrick Nunn would absolutely love to come home, and play in Chicago. I’ve known ALL the Chicago guys since they were kids.
If Bulls rebuild, they will prioritize draft picks. The G.M. is the dude from Denver who had some outstanding drafts while there. Got to believe he is eager to get his own guys on the roster that he evaluates.
AD has publicly stated he would like to come back home to Chicago ….
Simmons> again, i say hard pass. I like 2 way players like ad and lonzo.but i hate their injuried history. And ill keep ddr bcoz he is bulls leader. He wasnt great player in play off,i knew that but still better team player than lavine. Ill go for siakam and trent jr.
Lavine,coby,tery,blazers 1st.
Zero percent chance Raptors give up Siakim and Trent jr for your scraps. Coby is on a 1 year expiring deal, Terry is a rookie that hasn’t done anything and then the blazers first isn’t exactly that valuable as they are playing well. So it would be LaVine plus crap for Siakim (who is a better player than LaVine) and Gary ain’t no way.
Think you just have to risk it with the injury history of AD and Lonzo. Lonzo is now tied up in a long term deal so that’s set in stone and as for AD he’s coming over for DeRozan who is getting old and will slow down. Not to mention in order to cover for AD getting injured your dealing for Ayton to try and limit the amount of hard dirty work he has to do.
I dont mind if raptors ask to add vooch too,but raps add koloko too.
A) Lavine was terrible, he needs to understand the coach will go with the hot hand. With him in they were down a dozen. When he went out, they closed the gap.
B) Unlike the pro DeRozan, who said in postgame ‘we have to play better’ and ‘we will fix it’, Lavine decided to sone about his feelings.
Guess who is the team leader, despite the team literally building a roster around Lavine?
He should be ashamed of himself. Adversity reveals true nature.
Btw DeRozan said ‘we’ despite the fact that he had 40 points…
DeRozan’s always been a team player. He just goes out there and ball, man. Hopefully he wins one one day, dude’s a real pro.
Lavine is a great offensive player, but when his shots aren’t falling, he really doesn’t offer much else. He reminds me a lot of Melo. That contract though definitely won’t age well.
Lakers missed the boat not getting Derozen! Sad I thought Chicago would be better hope Ball comes back soon.
Lavine has not recovered from his last knee surgery. I haven’t seen him go more than 80% of what he used to. His explosiveness is not there when cutting, and jumping. Hope he gets it back or figures out another way to play. Bulls need him
ZL is hopefully mostly frustrated by his performance, not the HC’s PT response to it. I don’t fault him for wanting to be out there to try to turn it around, but when a guy brings a -19 into an end of game situation, he shouldn’t feel entitled to it. Not sure what further explanation is needed.
LaVine need to understand that he is not carrying his share on this team and Ayo is a two way player that is explosive as can be!
Look, this team ain’t winning and truthfully I would have never brought LaVine back with the knee issues he has had in the past.
Can LaVine score?
Yes, but so can White when healthy and hot, but the Bulls need more players like Ayo who can change the pace of the game with a steal and score than waiting for LaVine to get hot.
Personally I would keep DD and mover Vooch, LaVine and White and put AC and Ayo at the guard positions, DD at SF, trade for a legit PF and have Andre D. at center and get another solid backup at center.
When Ball comes back and if he is able to play at his previous performance start him off on the second team until he is able to play on first team.
A team with Ball, Ayo, DD, traded PF and Andre D. in the starting five would be a nightmare for opposing teams while having AC, Terry, Williams, traded or signed PF and traded or signed Center on the second team would actually be a strong second unit.
So subtract LaVine and Vooch and White and get pieces that will help.
Well I hate to say I told everybody so but this is what I feared. Lavine is much better than he’s played I’ll say that, But I’ve also been saying for the better part of 2 years to anybody who would listen that Lavine isn’t a Max player. The Bulls are losing games and all he’s worried about is how it affects him. If he wants to win a few more games and play at the end he should really play defense. In his comments it’s hey if I was playing I could of scored x amount of points. Doesn’t say how many points HIS man would of scored. They had their chance to deal him and they blew it. Just another Max bust like Anthony Davis so to that idiot who keeps thinking up these brain damaged trades, Please go away, and stay on the Laker page.