The Bulls have lost four straight games and are just 6-14 since opening the season with a 5-4 record. Amid the prolonged slump, concerns have arisen within the locker room about whether stars Zach LaVine and DeMar DeRozan “can click together at a high level on the court this season and beyond,” according to Shams Charania and Darnell Mayberry of The Athletic.
Charania and Mayberry report that the Bulls have held multiple team meetings to attempt to work through their issues, including one-on-one sessions between LaVine and DeRozan. However, those efforts haven’t led to on-court results — according to The Athletic’s duo, an “on-court, stylistic tension” has festered throughout the season.
Asked about the situation in Chicago, LaVine said that the team’s win-loss record has magnified any issues the team may be experiencing.
“I think everybody goes through ups and downs, just like every team does,” LaVine told The Athletic on Tuesday. “Obviously if we’re not winning games, not everybody’s going to be happy. It’s not going to look as good as it was before. It’s all glitter and show when you’re winning games. But when you’re losing games and you’re trying to do the same things, it’s turmoil. Everybody has their right to their own opinion. For me, I keep my head down. I work on my game and try to help my team. I help try to lead the team. That’s where I stand. I just try to take it day by day and evaluate how we’re doing.”
Citing multiple league sources and people close to the situation, Charania and Mayberry also report that LaVine and the Bulls haven’t been seeing eye-to-eye this season. Specifically, they say there has been “a palpable feeling across various parts of the franchise of a disconnect over LaVine’s situation in Chicago.”
The Athletic’s report is lacking in specific details and the wording is somewhat vague, so it’s difficult to tell exactly what the issues in Chicago are or how seriously we should take them. At the very least, it sounds like the team’s slump is creating frustration and tension that might not exist if the Bulls had won a few games. Whether the club will be able to work through those problems and rebound without major personnel changes remains to be seen.
Here’s more on the Bulls:
- There has been “increased skepticism” within the Bulls’ locker room about head coach Billy Donovan and his staff, per The Athletic’s duo. However, Donovan signed a preseason extension and his job is safe, according to Charania and Mayberry, who say the veteran coach is focused on optimizing LaVine and DeRozan through “a balance of execution, accountability and cooperation.”
- LaVine dismissed the idea that he has been negatively impacted by the increased expectations that came along with his new five-year, $215MM+ contract. “It hasn’t weighed (on) anything for me. I don’t understand how that gets put into context,” he said. “Just because you sign a deal, it’s supposed to be added weight to it? I think there’s added weight each time you step on the court if you don’t perform or you don’t play the right way. But everybody’s open to their own opinion.”
- After Sunday’s 150-126 loss to Minnesota, veteran guard Goran Dragic said the Bulls’ problem is that they’re “not playing for each other.” Donovan also suggested that the team is playing too individualistically: “We’ve got to get out of the mindset of worrying about scoring and how’s it going offensively and realize the ball scores. And if the ball’s moved and passed whoever scores, scores.”
- ESPN’s Brian Windhorst explores whether it makes more sense to stay the course or to pivot and become a seller. As Windhorst notes, the Bulls owe their 2023 first-round pick to Orlando with top-four protection, so even bottoming out and finishing with the league’s worst record wouldn’t give them more than about a 50/50 chance to keep that pick. On the other hand, with so few sellers on the trade market, Chicago could potentially get a good return by trading certain veterans.
last week i was against being a seller, this week im more open to it. lavine to the knicks could net us some picks, demar to the lakers could net us some picks, sad to say but caruso to GS for wiseman would be great. all hopeful thinking but it could be a quick rebuild with positive assets coming back
Why would the Warriors want Caruso?
GS would want Caruso. Not for Wiseman though.
I don’t see what Caruso would give the Warriors. What need does he fill?
i was just throwing ideas out but caruso would be a great fit on the warriors especially playing next to jordan poole
I’d keep Caruso to mentor the young fellas. His example of effort and defense are worth more than potential returns I imagine.
Sounds like Lavine doesn’t think he needs to back up his belief that he is a max player with performance on both sides of the ball, and that he clearly does not like DeRozan taking the star spotlight off him. Neither of them seems to appreciate how much easier things could be if they put defensive effort into each and every minute on the court.
Worst case (and if history is any guide, it is the most likely), Bulls management decides to ignore the obvious conflicts and makes no changes. They already gave Donovan an extension pre emptively, so that leaves trading away your ‘stars’, or eating the coaching contract.
Curious why they did not announce the extension – did Donovan threaten to walk if they didn’t? Did AKME want to run a test to see which players tried to ignore or disobey a coach in his ‘last’ contract year?
Lavine just doesn’t seem to be learning and would be a good scoring threat on a solid defensive team, which this is not. Maybe he should go, which frees up future cap and gets a high return from a contender who needs scoring?
Zach has played fine defensively this year, you cannot have a successful roster in today’s nba with your top 3 players being negatives defensively, and demar and Vuc are horrific on defense, just readjust, Zach needs a center who rim protects and rebounds at an elite level, demar was never long for this team anyhow we signed him at age 32, trade Vuc Caruso and demar, try to bring back picks in the coming draft or players at or near Zach’s age, there’s no point in worrying about your own pick to Orlando, it’s gone, doesn’t matter, should not affect decisions moving forward, bulls took a chance, it didn’t work, they need to admit that and move forward
Have been watching the games? LaVine is extremely mediocre on defense.
Interesting ….
2 weeks ago it was being reported that they might be interested in shipping out DeRozan and Vuce for Russ and 2 first.
Going rebuild and in that situation theyd likely keep LaVine and build around him with Zo and Pat Will already on board.
Now it’s more of a conflicting report saying LaVine doesn’t really get on that well with DeRozan. LaVine and the Bulls FO haven’t been seeing eye to eye and that there’s concerns over his future.
Something big must be brewing
I watched their game against the Knick’s the other day/week whatever. LaVine was just back from injury so I didn’t want to critique him much but I thought they looked well below the Knick’s and the only thing that keep them going was the bench particularly Coby White, Dragic and JaVonte Green. Then DeRozan found his stride and Vuce managed to get it going too but ultimately they fell short in OT.
From what I saw I though DeRozan and LaVine weren’t a good fit at all. DeRozan gets a lot of touches but does look to feed his teammates, without Ball he acted as the point guard. LaVine occasionally got the ball and whenever he did he looked to drive and score or throw up a jumper that looked rushed with loads of time left on the shot clock. I actually thought the team should’ve used Vuce a bunch more in the mid range and stretching the floor at the top of the key which also would’ve dragged Mitchell Robinson away from the rim.
I don’t know which direction they should head or which player they should back but I think change is inevitable at this stage. Clearly the results aren’t coming and time is running out.
I mean if I had to chose I’d probably lean towards wanting to play a pace and space style game. 3 and D, quick, young, entertaining. Lonzo fits into that, Ayo fits into that, Pat Will fits into that and I guess that means going with LaVine but with con earns for him staying I wouldn’t make trading him off the table either.
I’d actually just look at doing whatever you can to add 3 and D wings/forwards and identify who you want as your future centre. James Wiseman would be a really good start to go after even if you have to give up a guy like Caruso.
I’d also look at DeAndre Hunter, John Collins, Sadiq Bey, Cam Reddish, OG Anunoby, Gary Trent Jr to name a couple guys
I said it all summer, that the Bull’s should have let Lavine walk in FA, or negotiated a sign and trade, will be hard to trade that contract, have no leverage now, won’t get anything back, might be able to get Derrick Rose, Cam Reddish and Evan Fournier from the Knicks, I’d take that trade for LaVine, a trade that everybody would have laughed at this summer.
Trading DeRozan and/or Vucevic may be the Bulls only option.
Nah disagree that he’s worth rebar little. DRose Fouriner and Reddish all don’t even make the Knicks 9 man rotation with Toppin out injured too.
Think if they made LaVine available there would still be some interested teams that would give up assets.
I mean full scale rebuild
I mean I’d go Caruso for Wiseman.
Zach LaVine, Pat Will and 2 seconds for OG, Gary Trent and Thad Young.
Then DeRozan and Vuce for Russ and 2 first
Something little like Coby White and Andre Drummond for JaVale McGee and Josh Green
Lastly and obviously buy out Russ
Leaving you with
Lonzo Gary Trent OG Thad Wiseman
Ayo Green DJJ Green and McGee
A bunch more 3 and D guys. Give Wiseman a good chance, let Lonzo run point and get a heap of touches. Ayo and Green some good young guards competing for minutes and McGee a good locker room guy to tie it all together and serve as a vet for Wiseman to lean on
Why would the Warriors want Caruso? He doesn’t fill a need for them. Wiseman has Looney, Draymond, and Milojovic to lean on at Golden State. How is McGee going to improve on that?
Steve Kerr has publicly said he’d love to have Caruso and they spoke directly after GSW played the bulls earlier in the season. Pretty sure there was a quote form him saying something along the lines of he wants to make that happen. So I’m sure they’d actually love to make that work.
As for the McGee thing I was more referring to McGee being able to back him up off the bench able to play anywhere from 10-20 minutes possibly even more. Wiseman has struggled with injury and criticism. McGee knows all about coming back from injury, blocking out the noise of the fans and public opinion. He’s also a more similarly skilled player than any of the guys you mentioned. McGee had elite athleticism, could jump out the gym and turned that ability into being a great shot blocker and rebounder, two areas he could also really help Wiseman. Obviously Green could be helping him in a bunch of areas but two things he’s been away from the team in the g league so how much help is he really getting and secondly green can be real knuckle head at times and isn’t the easiest person to gel with whereas McGee is a great locker room guy. Really easy to get along.
So really I was referring more to lean on him in a on the court sense of him being able to rest or not jump into a huge role. But at the same time I did kinda mean off the court he could be a real positive influence also.
Westbrook reunited with billy. Two firsts for Lavine.
I think the Chicago Bulls should blow it up. The roster not built for playoff success because their main guys are one dimensional.
Always only takes one but imo Beal Lavine abd porter jr have negative value today
Now that doesn’t mean they can’t find *1 team to take a chance ; but league -wide I’d highly doubt there teams are getting many calls for them today on those contracts
Lonzo “Lynch Pin” Ball strikes again
Zach to the >>>> Knicks
He aint that good though. Imagine what the Knicks would have to give to get him.
We can Work in Mitch, Randle, Rose with a three way. I’d do it. Plus three picks.
If he is really having issues in Chicago. Knicks should definitely be monitoring it. Garden would love his gm there. Probably make him harder.
Al, you can have his whiny butt.
You say that until you get him and then you will wish the Bulls kept him!
That trade with the Knicks is about as good as it gets when it comes to LaVine, I’d trade LaVine straight up for Derrick Rose, Derrick Rose is a better player, but realistically the Bulls will need a little more in return.
It just so happens that the salaries match up almost exactly, Rose, Fournier and Reddish for LaVine with Reddish becoming a FA in ’23. That trade makes the Bulls a far better team, Rose can run point guard, with DeRozan as the primary option on offense. Fournier can start at the two, and Reddish can put Pat Williams out of his misery, playing 30 minutes a game at the four. I’d extend Reddish before he hits FA, he is a nice player. Bulls would have all three back in ’23/’24.
The only thing holding that trade up, I imagine anyhow, is the Knicks ability to tack on 3 yrs of LaVine in ’25/’26/’27 at the cost of around 130M.
The Bulls would still be short a rotation player at the four / five, they’d be well off trading Caruso and/or Lonzo Ball, I like Coby White and Pat Williams, they both could devolop with the right players around them, they still have Ayo and Javonte Green, have to see what works with D. Rose, Fournier, DeRozan, Reddish, and Vucevic as the core, and hope that Rose can give you a few more years after his contract is up.
That trade with the Knicks could be the only move that salvages the Vucevic trade and missing out on Tyrese Haliburton.
Sillivan burner account right here.
That’s funny mate, I said it all summer that the Bulls were a mess and that signing LaVine long term was a bad deal, I just hope they can make one of the two trades, either LaVine to the Knicks for Rose and Co. or DeRozan, Vucevic, Caruso and Lonzo Ball to the Lakers for an injury riddled Anthony Davis and Russell Westbrook.
Oh, never mind. They won a game and didn’t embarrass themselves. Everything is fine now.
Nope, and LaVine has to go!
When LaVine was pulled in that game he criticized the coach afterwards the signs were there LaVine is a problem.
Trading LaVine, DD and Vooch is the only course of action and rebuild the team.
PLEASE trade Lavine. Until then, start Dragic at point, he’s the best distributor we have
Clear “on-court, stylistic tension” on the defensive end. DDR’s matador style vs ZL’s spectator style. As a Knick fan, I’ve seen both “work” over the years. Melo was a big proponent of the spectator approach, as it conserved more of his energy for the offensive end.
To me it seems that LaVine is an arrogant and selfish dude that cares only about himself, being alpha and star. No adjustments to the team, no willingness to help others in defense or ofense. Thus no ring with him – bball is a team sport.