Getty Zach LaVine #8 of the Chicago Bulls.
Chicago Bulls star Zach LaVine is healthy and fully recovered from the foot injury that ended his 2023-24 season after 25 games.
Trade chatter has been quiet amid a stagnant market despite both LaVine and the Bulls being open to finding him a new home. That is unlikely to change, at least before the start of the regular season.
But the more healthy tape LaVine can show the better for him and the Bulls.
He appears to be moving well in a clip from a summer run alongside Atlanta Hawks point guard and three-time All-Star Trae Young in California, where both live in the offseason.
The Chicago Sun-Times’ Joe Cowley suggested in April that the Bulls and Hawks swap the two stars, but the latter stuck by and retooled their roster around their franchise cornerstone.
LaVine averaged 19.5 points, 5.2 rebounds, and 3.9 assists while shooting 45.2% from the floor and 34.9% from beyond the arc. Those were all low marks for LaVine – an All-Star in 2020-21 and 2021-22 – in several seasons.
He also has a hefty contract in Year 3 of a five-year, $215.1 million contract.
That and his lengthy injury history, which includes multiple knee ailments, have led to a barren trade landscape.
A hot start to the 2024-25 season could remind potential suitors that LaVine averaged 28.4 points and shot 37.5% from beyond the arc while making 77 appearances, all starts, for the Bulls in 2022-23.
Lonzo Ball Posts 5-on-5 Workout Video
LaVine was not the only Bulls player getting in some summer run action, with teammate Lonzo Ball also showing well in his 5-on-5 workout, a step he had not reached since injuring his knee in January 2022.
Ball’s video comes from his session with famed trainer Chris Johnson.
Ball has undergone three surgeries to repair his meniscus since he first went down during the 2021-22 season, including a ligament transplant in September 2023.
He is in the final year of a four-year, $80 million contract and will need to prove he is healthy before potentially hitting free agency in 2025. The Bulls acquired point guard Josh Giddey for Alex Caruso and plan to have the ball in his hands.
Ball could be auditioning for another team in 2024-25.
He averaged 13.1 points, 5.4 rebounds, 5.1 assists, 1.8 steals, and just a shade under 1.0 blockers per game when last healthy in 2021-22.
Former Bulls Fan Favorite Inks Deal With Western Conference Rival: Report
Ball’s future is yet to be determined. But former Bulls fan favorite Javonte Green has found a new home in free agency.
“Free agent wing Javonte Green is finalizing a one-year deal with the New Orleans Pelicans, per league sources,” The Athletic’s Shams Charania reported on X on August 20. “Strong addition for Pelicans’ depth as Green averaged 12.2 points in 25.6 minutes per night across nine games to close last season with the Bulls.”
Just watching more Javonte Green film, the guy can flat out FLY.
Didn’t realize how shifty he is and how crafty he is around the rim. Really nice addition to this roster.
Like LaVine, Green’s explosiveness was a considerable asset for himself and the Bulls. The 6-foot-4 wing has defended every position from point guard to power forward during his career, making his mark with his energy.
He and Caruso paired to give the Bulls one of the stingiest defensive duos in 2022-23.
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Bulls’ Zach LaVine Gets Summer Workout in With 3-Time All-Star [LOOK]