Chicago Bulls: Should Zach LaVine be shut down for the season?

Chicago Bulls guard Zach LaVine is dealing with a sore right knee. Should the team shut down LaVine for the remainder of the season?

If Zach LaVine‘s final act for the 2018-19 Chicago Bulls was a driving layup to beat the Detroit Pistons last Friday, it was a fantastic effort to cap an impressive stretch for the young guard. As reported by K.C. Johnson of the Chicago Tribune, LaVine is dealing with a right patellar tendon strain.

Officially listed as day-to-day, it’s possible that the game-winning drive was the last we’ll see of LaVine until the fall. It’s doubtful that he’ll play Tuesday against the Los Angeles Lakers and his status beyond that is unknown.

The Bulls will be cautious with their 24-year-old shooting guard, as coach Jim Boylen noted on Monday, and with good reason. Central to Chicago’s rebuilding hopes, LaVine has obviously had a history of knee injuries, suffering a torn left ACL while with the Minnesota Timberwolves.

This season, LaVine has established career highs in points (23.8), rebounds (4.6), assists (4.4), free throws made (4.9) and attempted per game (5.9), as well as field goal percentage (46.8 percent), Player Efficiency Rating (18.8), usage rate (30.6) and defensive win shares (1.1). He’s also scored 33.4 points per 100 possessions for the Bulls.

Should the Chicago Bulls bring back Zach LaVine this season?

The short answer to this question is obvious: no. With rookies Wendell Carter Jr. and Chandler Hutchison out for the remainder of the season, along with key bench contributor Denzel Valentine, Chicago has been saddled with injuries since training camp.

Throw in the elbow injury Lauri Markkanen suffered to begin the season and Kris Dunn‘s knee injury in the season’s third game and it’s clear the Bulls haven’t been able to escape the injury bug. Every regular starter has missed time with injury in 2018-19. Now probably isn’t the time to challenge the basketball gods.

Besides, LaVine has already dealt with an ankle injury much of the season. Now his right knee is giving him problems. With the Bulls currently sitting at 19-49 and with the fourth-worst record in the league, there isn’t much to play for the last month of the season.

For fans favoring the tank philosophy, the answer is even more obvious: sit LaVine and hope the Cleveland Cavaliers and Phoenix Suns continue their “hot” play. Maybe Chicago can slip below (above?) one or both of those teams in increasing their odds at the top pick in the NBA Draft Lottery.

Is there any conceivable reason for LaVine to return this season?

For a competitive standpoint, of course. It’s well-known how much Boylen wants to win. Remember, he’s the coach who had his players doing extra wind sprints and pushups when he took over. But even the Bulls’ boisterous coach knows what’s at stake here, via K.C. Johnson of the Chicago Tribune:

"“What we’re hoping for is every day he responds and gets a little better,” he said. “But it’s not the situation or the time of the year to push a guy to try and get a certain seed or home court. That’s as simply as I can put it. I think you know my personality. I want to win every game and play our ass off every game. But we’ve got to be smart too.’’"

With the addition of Otto Porter Jr. and the continued growth of Markkanen, a healthy LaVine would excite fans and probably pull off a few wins. In an era where tanking is the norm and mediocrity is NBA purgatory, however, the risk for those wins is simply too high.

Don’t expect Zach LaVine back this season

Last season, after appearing in 24 games in his debut season in the Windy City, LaVine was shut down with 14 games remaining. While there haven’t been any public comments stating that he’s out for the year, common sense should rule again. The fifth-year guard seemed to hint that he’s played his last game this season.

There really isn’t a better way to say it then that. Of course Zach LaVine wants to be on the court and performing at a high level, but this season has always been about what comes next.

Rest and recuperation is the most common sense approach for their budding star. For the Chicago Bulls, another serious LaVine injury would be too severe to endure.