Rodzilla Recap

In December 2021, I went to see the Bulls play the Hawks at the United Center. Some guy behind me said the Bulls could go the distance in the Playoffs so long as DeMar DeRozan doesn’t get hurt. At that time, the Bulls were 21-10 and on a 4-game winning streak. I scoffed. “Yeah right,” I thought. “Zach LaVine is the reason we’re winning.” Yeah. Right.

In five-and-a-half seasons with the Bulls, the two-time all-star has maintained his individual stats — averaging 23+ points on 45+ percent shooting from 2018-2022 — but has failed to elevate his team. The Bulls are currently 12th in the Eastern Conference, and have not qualified for the Playoffs in 4-of-the-5 full seasons LaVine has been with the team.

Chicago Bulls Records with Zach LaVine:

In Zach’s defense, serious Playoff expectations for the team didn’t begin until the additions of DeMar DeRozan and Lonzo Ball in 2021. Still, the Bulls’ regression from 2021-22 to 2022-23, coupled with a pitiful start to this season (the Bulls were 5-6 at this time last season, so yes, they’re somehow doing worse) is all the more reason to trade LaVine. I personally have never seen him as a “franchise guy”, and he continues to prove the doubters right with every ‘L’.

There are some fans calling for a complete overhaul of the team, while others blame the Bulls’ woes on Coach Billy Donovan and would like to see him fired. I agree with both of those positions. I was shocked to hear the team had extended Billy’s contract last November. The leadership isn’t there as Billy fails, night after night, to get his team to execute on offense or defense. Donovan is too even-tempered, constantly makes excuses for his team in press conferences instead of holding them accountable, and is dead-set on sticking to his rotations, even at the expense of winning a game.

I soured on Billy following his unexplainable decision to bench Coby White and Andre Drummond during the Bulls play-in loss to Miami in April. I still believe that there’s a possibility it’s the coaching, and not LaVine as a player, that isn’t working, and the Bulls should make sure of this before trading away a possible gem. Former Bulls players Wendell Carter Jr. (Orlando Magic), Lauri Markkanen (Utah Jazz), Derrick Jones Jr. (Dallas Mavericks), and Daniel Gafford (Washington Wizards) have all managed to thrive with different teams after their time with the Bulls — a trend that is more than a coincidence.