Bulls guard Zach LaVine, who has been bothered for much of the year by left knee problems, is expected to undergo surgery after the team’s season ends in order to address the injury, a source tells Joe Cowley of The Chicago Sun-Times. It will likely be an arthroscopic procedure, Cowley adds.
LaVine’s ongoing knee issue hasn’t caused him to miss a ton of time this season, but he has been affected by the injury for months. When he discussed his knee in early March and suggested he could require offseason surgery, LaVine said that he felt like he was still one of the best players in the NBA even at 70% or 80% of his usual self.
However, a source close to the situation tells Cowley that LaVine was “more like 50%, and that’s on a good day.” According to Cowley’s source, the maintenance on the knee for the past few months has often been an “all-day ordeal.” It has been bad timing for 27-year-old, who earned the opportunity to play in the postseason for the first time this spring and who will be an unrestricted free agent this summer.
Still, there’s no sense that LaVine’s knee problem is degenerative or that it will affect him long-term, Cowley says, so the hope is that he’ll be able to get back to his old self following his recovery from surgery. According to Cowley, the expectation remains that the Bulls and LaVine will discuss a maximum-salary contract this offseason.
LaVine has been ruled out for Game 5 of the Bulls’ first-round series vs. Milwaukee after being placed in the NBA’s health and safety protocols. With the Bucks holding a 3-1 lead, it’s possible Chicago’s season will be over in a matter of hours, in which case LaVine and the team could start making plans for his surgery very soon.
He can schedule it for Thursday.
That’s what I would do, get that taken care of immediately after the season ends, hopefully he’s back at 100% before next season starts and the bulls decide to add some front court depth, living and dying by Vuc isn’t good for the teams or for Vuc probably
Get it done and over with to help facilitate his sign and trade to Portland
I think the team said as much when th pain started to become chronic a few months ago. I give him a lot of credit to play through the pain in a contract year for the Bulls. I think he stays put in part because of that,but a lot of guys would have thrown the season.
He gonna want to sign that max deal 1st before the surgery.
5 years 238 million contract?
At least 4 year 160 million contract
Knicks or Rockets?
You must be smoking some good weed cuh!
Yep, Dabulls play their best ball just before the All-Star break, then fall apart just before the playoffs start. Different year same oke #hit since the early 00’s. Just say no until Jerry’s Kids sell the team to someone who cares.
It’s clear that even a complete and healthy BULLS team doesn’t go far in the deep and improving Eastern Conference.
They should sign-and-trade Lavine to get deeper, get bigger, more outside shooting, better depth at PG e.g. Coby has regressed and Lonzo will be forever nagged with injuries