Chicago Bulls guard Zach LaVine, who has been rumored to be on the trade market since winter, seems likely to join a new team this offseason.
While it’s unclear if his new destination will be the Los Angeles Lakers, Golden State Warriors, or Detroit Pistons, there’s also a chance a dark horse team like the New Orleans Pelicans or Oklahoma City Thunder could make a move for him. Regardless of which team ultimately acquires him, there’s now less worry about his health compared to a few months ago.
Zach LaVine is recovering from surgery much faster than expected. According to K.C. Johnson of NBC Sports Chicago, LaVine is “well ahead of the four- to six-month timeline the Bulls had set for his recovery from what he described as a ‘non-union Jones fracture.'”
His “goal was to be doing on-court work at the three-month mark in order to have a relatively normal offseason.”
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.
