The Bulls’ “Big Three’’ have been under the microscope since the regular season tipped off in Miami back in October.
Collectively, but also individually.
Big man Nikola Vucevic came into the season in the final year of his contract, DeMar DeRozan entered the 2022-23 campaign looking to continue taking Father Time into the paint and hitting the mid-range dagger over him, and Zach LaVine was fresh off a boost into a higher tax bracket, handed the five-year, $215 million max offer over the summer.
While all three have had some inconsistent moments so far this season, according to coach Billy Donovan, they’ve all remained leaders in and out of the locker room.
“When all three of those guys speak, the younger guys are attentive,’’ Donovan said. “All three of those guys, in their own way, spend time with those young guys.’’
That leadership is again going to be tested.
The Bulls will enter Wednesday’s game with the Wizards 9-14, fresh off a six-game road trip in which started with a win in Milwaukee, only to fall on hard times with four losses over the final five games.
They have not only been inconsistent on both ends of the floor, but for the first time under Donovan, one of his “Big Three’’ was admittedly frustrated with how this season has played out so far.
Not only did LaVine pick up a late-game technical in the Sunday loss to Sacramento, but quickly stormed off the court as the final horn sounded, ignoring his teammates as he walked by them.
He explained after the game, “Sometimes your emotions come out. It’s us vs. everybody, no one is going to help us dig out of this besides us. That’s how we’ve got to go about it.’’
Worth watching will be how LaVine goes about it.
The two-time All-Star is coming off his first real LaVine-like game of the season, putting up 41 points, adding eight rebounds and grabbing four steals, but there seems to be some lingering tension between LaVine and Donovan going back to the heart-breaking Nov. 18 loss to Orlando, in which the coach benched the star for the final few minutes.
“That’s Billy’s decision, he’s gotta lay with it,’’ LaVine said afterward. “Do I agree with it? No. I think I can go out there and still be me even if I miss some shots. That’s his decision and he’s got to stand on it.’’
Donovan did, with the two talking it out and seemingly getting on the same page.
Possibly a page with a small tear in it, however.
Following an embarrassing performance in Phoenix, Donovan gave the starting lineup a facelift, starting Alex Caruso over Ayo Dosunmu and Javonte Green over Patrick Williams.
LaVine was asked about the coach saying a change was necessary in the wake of that showing against the Suns, and responded, “Nah, nah, I think that was his opinion.’’
A passive aggressive poke? Possibly. But again, it gets back to a frustration level for a roster with higher expectations than have been displayed.
There was good news in all of this.
DeRozan is not only the adult in the locker room on most nights, but has LaVine’s ear. The organization has no plans to move on from Donovan or LaVine anytime soon, so this seems to be more of a strain rather than a fracture in the relationship, easily fixed with some big brotherly advice from DeRozan, and more importantly, with wins.
And at least on paper, wins that should start coming.
The beginning of the Bulls season was one of the tougher schedules in the NBA, not only in how many games were condensed into the first month, but the competition.
As of Tuesday, however, only Detroit, Miami, and Boston have easier schedules than the Bulls over the remainder of the season.
It will be up to the “Big Three’’ to start turning it around against Washington.
Let the test begin.
