Some stats would be best left unturned. In Chicago’s case, in recent memory, most. Yesterday afternoon, a viral tweet of dug-up random NBA facts that will turn heads for the week, the Bulls’ front office takes quite the blow. The last example of such a catastrophic internet find is when the NBA world discovered that the Chicago Bulls had not executed a trade in over three calendar years, unsurprising to the Bulls’ faithful. This list shines a light on what some blame as Chicago’s problem for the past few years and one that’ll haunt them for several years. What have the NBA gurus stumbled upon this time, and was the decision ever justified?
Bulls fans already fully understand that Zach LaVine has not performed to what he’s raking in. The moment he signed his five-year, $215 million extension tore the fanbase in half. One side agreed with the decision; with the increasing cap spaces leaguewide and renegotiated CBA allowing for players to be paid more, they thought this would be a discount in the long run. The rational fans, who had watched LaVine for five seasons in Chicago with one playoff appearance and only one lone postseason victory, knew this was a terrible contract. Today, everyone was reminded of how brutal that decision was.
To put this list in perspective for how poorly this decision has panned out, the other 16 names on this list all have at least one All-NBA team nomination, have advanced beyond the first round of the NBA Playoffs, have at least three All-Star nods, and have won significantly more than one lowly playoff game. LaVine can claim none of the above.
At the time, LaVine was coming off back-to-back All-Star seasons and his first and only playoff appearance, where the Bucks defeated them 4-1. Although they were riddled with injuries in that series and never stood a chance, LaVine took a noticeable step down from his regular season outings, only scoring over 20 points once in those five games. While all of Chicago can admit they have seen their high-flying two-time All-Star guard score with the best of them, he’s never proven to be the leader or superstar the Bulls have needed.
The final prayer that Chicago’s front office has to make this a bit less highway robbery on LaVine’s part is that he reverts to his All-Star form this season. Not only would that mean Chicago could push contention, but it would also restore his currently entirely diminished trade value, at 29 years old with a long list of injuries throughout his career, at one of the worst contracts leaguewide and with no playoff experience to his name, he’s been nearly impossible to move. If he can return to his actual shooting guard role, shoot the three-point ball at a high level, and attack the rim, and when he initially arrived in the league, his value could be significantly increased.
Coming off an injury that held him out the last three months of the season, LaVine is doing his typical under-the-radar offseason from a media standpoint, aside from posting a few hype videos or workout clips. While everyone looks best in an empty gym in their self-filmed videos, it does appear that he’s looking and feeling back to form.
His excuses have run dry at this point, a lineup now perfectly catered to his off-ball scoring ability with three-point threats to spread the floor, a floor general point guard at the helm, and some pick-and-roll threats to pair his downhill scoring with makes for a perfect equation to succeed at his highest level. How much worse can LaVine’s Chicago tenure become before he’s cut, traded, or benched indefinitely for the incoming youth movement within the franchise?
