On the trade block since the winter, Chicago Bulls guard Zach LaVine seems destined to land with a new team this offseason.
Whether the franchise that acquires him is the Los Angeles Lakers, Golden State Warriors, Detroit Pistons remains to be seen. A dark horse candidate, like the New Orleans Pelicans or Oklahoma City Thunder, could also emerge. However, no matter what team decides to pull the trigger, they can do so with less concern about his health than there was a few months ago.
Zach LaVine’s Surgery Recovery ‘Well Ahead’ of Schedule
LaVine “is well ahead of the four- to six-month timeline the Bulls placed on his recovery from what [he] called a ‘non-union Jones fracture,’” per NBC Sports Chicago’s K.C. Johnson.
His “goal was to be doing on-court work at the three-month mark in order to have a relatively normal offseason.”
“That’s because he isn’t letting a bone heal; the surgery removed a piece of bone that chipped off. He essentially is healing soft tissue around a tendon. And then hoping to recover from his first down season in awhile.”
The Benefit of Adding LaVine
At 29 years old, LaVine is still in his physical prime. That’s a major draw to the teams interested in him. An electrifying leaper who has won two NBA Slam Dunk Contests, LaVine’s springiness is a staple of his play.
His shooting stroke is good enough to make him a threat at all times. To that point, LaVine has converted 38.2 percent of his 3-point attempts over the course of his career. In recent years, he’s become one of the better midrange shooters, making at least 44 percent of his field goal attempts from 10-16 feet away from the rim in three of the past four seasons. He’s even knocked down at least 46 percent of his long 2s in two of the past four seasons.
However, his ability to stretch defenses vertically and horizontally is what’s allowed him to become a two-time All-Star. With that said, his being a vertical threat doesn’t mean he’s only capable of throwing down dunks. Indeed, LaVine is also one of the best finishers below the rim.
LaVine doesn’t often utilize his physical tools to stand out on the defensive end but he’s capable of sticking with the more athletic perimeter players. He has a poor reputation defensively because he gambles too much and plays with too little effort. Yet, he’s truly more or less an average on-ball defender overall. Like former teammate Andrew Wiggins, playing for a franchise with championship aspirations or a winning culture could help him unlock his defensive potential.
3-Year Timeline
When or if LaVine is traded, the remaining years (3) and salary ($139 million) on his contract will likely keep him there until he’s traded. If so, there are multiple teams that could view the three-year timeline as ideal for the championship window. The Lakers and Warriors, led by aging superstars, are two such teams.
