Chicago Bulls: 3 things fans can be thankful for this Thanksgiving
By Jason Elbaum
2. Zach LaVine looks like he will be making his Bulls debut ahead of schedule
Until the Bulls figure out exactly what they have in Lauri Markkanen, the fourth-year guard out of UCLA Zach LaVine is the biggest prize in the trade that sent Jimmy Butler to Minnesota. LaVine has yet to play this season as he recovers from a torn ACL he suffered while playing for the Timberwolves last February.
The two-time NBA Slam Dunk Contest champion will without a doubt inject some excitement into a Bulls team in desperate need of a lift. LaVine is capable of playing both point guard and shooting guard, adding much-needed depth at those positions.
LaVine is coming off a season where he was averaging a career-high 18.9 points per game before he tore his ACL. He will be hungry to regain this same form with his new team, and he should be given the opportunity to do so as the team’s first offensive option.
He is expected to begin contact drills this week with the expectation that he’ll make his Bulls debut by mid-December. This is excellent news for Chicago fans, as they can be thankful that their team will be watchable come Christmas time because of LaVine’s high-flying style of play.