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Bulls Notes: LaVine, Green, Ball, Trade Deadline

December 21st 2022 at 8:42pm CST by Arthur Hill

In the midst of giving up 150 points to the Timberwolves on Sunday, Bulls players had several angry exchanges in the locker room during halftime, according to Joe Cowley of The Chicago Sun-Times. A coach had to come into the room to settle things down, Cowley adds.

Sources told Cowley that the tension was the result of persistent defensive breakdowns over the previous five games and much of the anger was directed at Zach LaVine. Cowley notes that LaVine was playing defense at the best level of his career last season before he started developing knee pain. Teammates expected him to return to that level after knee surgery and with his new contract signed, but that hasn’t happened.

“I don’t think you can sit there and point at every defensive breakdown and say ‘Hey, that’s on Zach’ or ‘It’s all DeMar (DeRozan),” coach Billy Donovan said. “No, it’s all of us. We’re all together. And we as coaches play a part in it, too, constantly trying to create the clarity for him as in, ‘This is what we’re doing, and can we do it at a high enough level?'”

LaVine dismissed the incident after Tuesday’s win at Miami, Cowley states in a separate story.

“Something that happens all the time in our locker room,’’ he said. “Multiple guys talking; multiple guys frustrated. That’s what’s supposed to happen; it’s a basketball team. Not the first time, not the last time. It’s just you guys hear it. It’s nothing new to us.’’

There’s more on the Bulls:

  • Javonte Green continues to battle right knee soreness, Cowley adds, and is missing his sixth straight game tonight. Donovan said Green is making progress, but he still feels pain in the knee whenever the team tries to increase his activity in rehab.
  • Lonzo Ball didn’t offer many specifics when he talked to reporters Tuesday after the condition of his left knee, but he sounded positive about the rehab process, per Rob Schafer of NBC Sports Chicago. Ball, who underwent surgery in September, said he has been able to do some stationary shooting drills. However, he still has pain in the knee, which causes mobility issues. “Last couple weeks, I’m finally seeing some improvement, which is nice to see,” he said. “It’s still not obviously where I want to be. But it’s definitely positive light at the end of the tunnel.”
  • Rival executives believe the Bulls should be sellers heading into the trade deadline, but they’re not sure that Chicago’s front office agrees, according to Eric Pincus of Bleacher Report. DeRozan, Nikola Vucevic and Alex Caruso could all be in demand, and some teams may be watching LaVine as well, although his injury history and $215MM extension could make him tough to deal. According to Pincus, the belief among representatives at the Winter Showcase in Las Vegas is that Chicago hasn’t made an effort to trade any of its top players.
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