Getty Bulls star Zach LaVine
Chicago Bulls shooting guard Zach LaVine suffered a left knee injury on January 14 against the Golden State Warriors.
In February, the two-time All-Star had platelet-rich plasma therapy, a cortisone injection and fluid drained from his left knee so he could help the Bulls make the playoffs for the first time since 2017.
Chicago made the postseason as the sixth seed and LaVine finished the regular season with averages of 24.4 points, 4.6 rebounds and 4.5 assists. Overall, it was a successful season for the Bulls and LaVine, who showed tremendous toughness playing through an injury that will require surgery in the offseason, according to Joe Cowley of the Chicago Sun-Times.
“According to a source close to the situation, however, LaVine’s knee was ‘more like 50% and that’s on a good day.’ The source also said the maintenance of the knee the past few months was an all-day ordeal, and that there would have been a good number of All-Star-type players that would have shut it down for the season with all LaVine had to deal with,” Cowley reported.
“And while LaVine wouldn’t come out and say for sure he was headed for off-season surgery — likely a scope — the source said he will in fact have surgery almost immediately this offseason. One scenario that had been ruled out, according to the source, was that the knee was degenerative and LaVine would be dealing with this long-term.”
LaVine tore his left ACL during the 2016-17 season when he was on the Minnesota Timberwolves. The two-time Slam Dunk champion becomes an unrestricted free agent this summer for the first time in his career and he’s projected to receive a maximum contract offer.
Bulls, LaVine Appear to Be on Same Page
According to Cowley, the Bulls and LaVine “seem to be on the same page with the direction of the roster.” Chicago acquired LaVine on June 22, 2017, from Minnesota in the blockbuster Jimmy Butler trade and the Washington native is already third in franchise history in 3-point field goals and second in points per game.
“Good news for both the Bulls and LaVine, who by all expectations will sit down at some point together to discuss a max contract to keep LaVine a Bull,” Cowley reported. “That doesn’t mean executive vice president of basketball operations Arturas Karnisovas deems LaVine untouchable from a sign-and-trade if an unexpected deal presents itself, but as of now the two sides seem to be on the same page with the direction of the roster.”
LaVine is averaging 24.4 points, 4.7 rebounds and 4.4 assists with the Bulls since coming over from the Timberwolves. The scoring guard spoke to Heavy in February and LaVine was asked what it would mean to him to be called the second-best shooting guard in Bulls history after Michael Jordan.
LaVine: ‘I Hold Myself to a High Standard’
If LaVine spends the rest of his career with the Bulls, he could go down as the second-best shooting guard to ever play for the franchise behind Jordan. The UCLA product appreciated the praise and spoke about how important Jordan was to him as a kid.
“Michael Jordan growing up was everything to me,” LaVine said. “He’s part of the reason I started playing basketball. He was everything. To even be on the Bulls, I remember getting traded here, I always just wanted to help them get back to where they were. All they knew was winning and they deserve that.
“For me personally, I’ve never really looked into all those stats. When you’re with a team for a good amount of time, you’re gonna accumulate those things and I hold myself to a high standard to be a really good player in this league, so I appreciate it.”