Zach LaVine, who stirred up his critics after saying he was open to a trade, is set to make his return to the Bulls on Friday night and he has a message for those critics.
“My main objective is to come out here and just get back to playing,” LaVine said. “If I let opinions and people affect me, I wouldn’t be where I’m at. I couldn’t care less what people think about me. I know who I am and what I do.”
LaVine and center Nikola Vucevic will return to the lineup against the Charlotte Hornets.
LaVine has not played since Nov. 28 with right foot inflammation. Vucevic returns after missing the last five weeks dealing with a groin injury.
Both players said they will be on a minutes restriction.
The Sun-Times and ESPN have reported that there is no market for LaVine. The Bulls are eager to get the veteran back, though they went 10-7 without the two-time All-Star guard and found an offensive identity predicated on ball movement and cutting.
LaVine said the Bulls offense seen over the past month is what the team tried to implement during training camp.
“It’s the things that we were trying to do during training camp,” LaVine said. “It takes a lot for that stuff to come to fruition, and I’m just excited to go out there and be with my guys, especially at a time when things started clicking and the vibes are better.”
In LaVine’s absence, the young players have ascended as they took on more prominent roles. Guard Coby White, in particular, has improved his play with the added responsibility.
In the 17 games LaVine missed, White averaged 22.4 points, 5.9 rebounds and 5.8 assists. He’s confidently knocking down three-pointers, attacking the rim and being more decisive with the ball. White has also taken on more of a leadership role. The team is different than the last time LaVine suited up in a Bulls uniform.
“There’s nothing different that we’ve been doing other than I think guys got in a rhythm, understood their roles, and obviously started making shots,” LaVine said. “You know, when you win, everything gets better. I’m coming in and trying to fit and do the same thing I was doing, just a higher level.”
LaVine will come off the bench on a minutes restriction: He said he’ll play in the 25-30 minutes range against the Hornets.
The last two games — losses to the Knicks and a thrashing at the hands of the 76ers — have shown that the Bulls need a scoring spark. They need a player who can bail them out when the shot clock is winding down, and it’s on the players to make something happen.
That’s where LaVine — one of the most lethal scorers in the game — comes into play. But not the version that has shown up in a Bulls uniform this season. They need the version of LaVine who finished the 2022-23 season averaging 28.4 points, shooting 53% percent from the field and 43.6% from three.
LaVine’s play this season warranted criticism for his ball-stopping ways. He was also off to a slow start this season, averaging 21 points and shooting 44.3% from the field.
The question now is: Will LaVine adjust his game to fit what the Bulls have developed in his absence?
“I want to come in and do my job like I was doing before and help the team any way possible with scoring, energy, rebounding, coming in and competing,” LaVine said.
Those are all nice platitudes. Now, LaVine has to prove it with his play.
