Chicago Bulls: 3 opening week storylines to look for
2. Is Zach LaVine the new face of the franchise?
With the ink on his new four-year, $78 million contract still drying, and Lauri Markkanen on the mend from a sprained elbow, this is Zach LaVine’s time to shine.
Fully recovered from a devastating knee injury, LaVine proved in the preseason that his explosiveness is back. In five preseason games, he was smooth and efficient offensively, averaging 17.8 points in 22.3 minutes per game on 51.7 percent shooting. The UCLA product also shot 43.8 percent from the 3-point line, showing that his game is becoming well-rounded.
If LaVine can build upon his preseason showing with Markkanen sidelined and Jabari Parker still working on his fit on the roster, this will be his team. While questions surround LaVine and his defensive shortcomings, his playmaking ability is his real value to the team. Just 23 years old, he has the athletic ability to be a two-way player if he puts in the work.
Kris Dunn has been working with Zach LaVine on his defensive skills. Dunn said, "I just told him, 'You're as fast as me, you're more athletic than me. There is no way you shouldn't be a good defender in this league.'
— Malika Andrews (@malika_andrews) October 17, 2018
Zach LaVine has the potential to be a star in this league. He can score at will and if his shooting improves like he showed in the preseason, then the Chicago Bulls really have something going.