With just 10 days left before the NBA trade deadline, it seems unlikely that Zach LaVine will be returning to play for the Chicago Bulls.
LaVine has not returned to practice as he still struggles with a right ankle sprain. He was unable to do anything except receive treatment during the team’s three-game West Coast trip last week.
Coach Billy Donovan mentioned on Thursday that LaVine would need at least one more week of rest before the Bulls medical team can check on him. This would mean two full weeks without any exercise — and make it unlikely for LaVine to return by the Feb. 6 home game against the Minnesota Timberwolves.
That’s the Bulls’ last game before the trade window closes at 2 p.m. Feb. 8, which raises a question: Has LaVine played his last game in a Bulls uniform?
Donovan stated he has not been told by the Bulls front office about what to expect regarding LaVine’s status after the deadline.
“I have no idea. I really don’t,” Donovan said before Thursday’s game against the Los Angeles Lakers. “I’d hate to even speculate. I’m taking the approach he’s going to be with us the whole entire year and I hope he can get healthy sooner than later, but nothing’s been told to me that that’s the case.”
It’s clear LaVine is unlikely to play another game before the deadline. Despite a desire from both LaVine and the Bulls front office to make a deal, it has been difficult to find options to trade the two-time All-Star and his maximum contract over the past three months.
The Detroit Pistons emerged last week as a new potential trade partner, but the Bulls have remained firm in their desire to trade LaVine only for a good return.
Executive vice president of basketball operations Artūras Karnišovas went with the team to Phoenix and Los Angeles last week for the first two legs of an eight-day trip. The front office will meet this week to weigh its options before the deadline — and LaVine will be the main topic of conversation.
Donovan will sit in on these meetings, but he mentioned his input usually focuses on the current roster rather than potential additions or trades.
“As a group they’ll generally pick my brain on players,” Donovan said. “But it’s more like the player situation. Because you could sit here and say we need more shooting, you need more rebounding — you could say all those things. When you’re watching film as much as I think all coaches watch film, you start to evaluate and develop a feel to those things. So I’m more interested when there’s things coming to the table.”
LaVine has missed 22 games this season, including 17 straight in December and early January with inflammation in his right foot. He returned for seven games before spraining his ankle against the Toronto Raptors on Jan. 18. The Bulls are 12-10 without LaVine and 10-15 with him.
The extended absences have been visibly frustrating for LaVine, who showed a commitment to adjust his game to the offensive style that made the Bulls more successful during his earlier absence. He averaged 5.3 assists during his seven-game return from the foot injury.
LaVine's future with the Bulls may remain uncertain until the deadline next week, adding to the frustration.
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