"Trade the diva already": Zach LaVine's injury update causes vitriolic reactions among Bulls fans
Zach LaVine has found himself on the outs in Chicago, with fans and analysts expecting the star guard to be traded sooner rather than later. Although the Chicago Bulls front office duo of Arturas Karnisovas and Marc Eversley hoped to build on recent seasons, this year hasn't delivered for the franchise. The team has posted an abysmal 6-14 record that sees them in 13th place in the East.
During that time, Zach LaVine has fielded criticism for a lack of effort on the defensive end. At the same time, given that he and DeMar DeRozan rank as one of the worst duos in the league for efficiency, it seems it's a matter of when the Bulls move LaVine, not if they trade him.
On the heels of a thrilling overtime win for the Bulls that saw Zach LaVine and DeMar DeRozan watch from the sidelines, an injury update surfaced on LaVine. According to the team's official Twitter/X account, LaVine will be out for one week with right foot soreness.
The news didn't sit well with fans, many of whom were already eager to see the team trade LaVine. Check out some of the best reactions to the news below:
"Trade the diva already," a fan posted.
Looking at the Chicago Bulls' recent struggles amid Zach Lavine injury report
Zach LaVine's injury update comes on the heels of the Chicago Bulls' young core, led by Coby White and Nikola Vucevic, defeating the Milwaukee Bucks. Although the team entered the game against their Eastern Conference rivals on a five-game skid, the absence of LaVine and DeRozan breathed new life into the squad.
Without their two stars, the Bulls stepped up in a big way, posting their highest assist totals as a team in the win. In addition, the duo not being on the floor allowed the team to share the ball more, providing players like Patrick Williams and Ayo Dosunmu with bigger roles.
The heliocentric play that sees DeRozan and LaVine take most of the team's offensive looks went out the window. Instead, Nikola Vucevic and Alex Caruso provided a source of stability alongside the team's young players.
Given the success in the absence of DeRozan and Zach LaVine, many fans believe the game served as an example of why the front office should trade the pair. Since Karnisovas and Eversley parted ways with several first-round picks to acquire DeRozan and Vucevic, many believe they should try to recoup assets.