The Chicago Bulls lack direction heading into training camp.
Chicago’s front office has failed for over a year to trade Zach LaVine, and a reportedly shattered relationship between the Bulls and LaVine is not exactly setting Billy Donovan’s locker room up for success.
While Chicago may very well still be looking for offers for LaVine, the reality of the matter is that he’s on the roster, and camp is days away.
According to a new report from Bleacher Nation’s Elias Schuster, bad blood between LaVine and the Bulls franchise is not something that has necessarily been left in the past.
“The Bulls are on the brink of their most interesting training camp in years," Schuster said.
“While the win-loss column may not be at the top of mind, there will be a handful of crucial storylines to follow in the coming weeks. Of course, the most important may be how Zach LaVine integrates back into the locker room.”
“Many expected that the two-time All-Star would begin this season elsewhere. All signs also continue to point toward both parties wanting a divorce. However, the two have been forced to stay in their unhappy marriage for now, and there is no question this could lead to some awkward tension behind the scenes.”
How will Donovan deal with the LaVine situation, especially given the Bulls’ guard-heavy roster?
Interestingly, Chicago Sun-Times’ Joe Cowley suggested recently that Donovan might stagger LaVine’s minutes so that he ends up playing more with the bench unit than the starters, a tactic that not many casual fans could have imagined.
Donovan certainly has his hands full, and it’s difficult to imagine LaVine buying into a new role alongside Chicago’s bench, but the Bulls aren’t dealing with a cohesive or balanced roster, so everything is on the table.
LaVine may be forced into sacrificing for the team, as if he hasn’t done enough of that already.
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