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Chicago Bulls: 3 ways Zach LaVine is changing people’s opinion of him

By Luke Duffy

SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA - JANUARY 06: Zach LaVine #8 of the Chicago Bulls looks on from the bench against the Sacramento Kings during the first half of an NBA basketball game at Golden 1 Center on January 06, 2021 in Sacramento, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)
SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA - JANUARY 06: Zach LaVine #8 of the Chicago Bulls looks on from the bench against the Sacramento Kings during the first half of an NBA basketball game at Golden 1 Center on January 06, 2021 in Sacramento, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images) /
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Chicago Bulls
Chicago Bulls, Zach LaVine (Photo credit should read PEDRO PARDO/AFP via Getty Images) /

2. The Chicago Bulls are the right place and the right time

In order to explain this point properly, we must take a quick trip to Florida. For years the Magic were an organization stuck in the abyss, going nowhere fast and failing to get out of the perpetual rebuild they were stuck in. Despite this, their center Nikola Vucevic put up big numbers, on what were always losing teams. He was viewed as part of the problem, an empty stats kind of guy.

It was only when the Magic got a competent head coach (who was given more than a year at the helm) and some young talent around Vucevic, that the perception changed. He’s now a top 5 big man in the league, as well as a one-time All-Star. Yet his numbers, although improving, never took a huge leap from the ones he posted when the Magic were just straight bad.

Back to LaVine then, who for years has been viewed as a guy who can get you a bucket (or more accurately 20 points a game), but not much else. The Bulls right now are currently 4-7, so not doing much to change the belief that LaVine can contribute to a winning culture. How then is he going about changing people’s perception of him?

Right now it is clear the Bulls have something with the young roster they have in place. Coby White is a good young player who is only going to get better. Wendell Carter Jr. has had a slow start to life in the league, but certainly is the kind of guy who you want to have so that you can see what he turns into. Patrick Williams has come in as a rookie and started every game.

At this point, Lauri Markkanen, who was the young player who was sent with LaVine on draft night to the Bulls as part of a package that sent Jimmy Butler to Minnesota, isn’t the key young guy they’re looking to build around. The Bulls are viewed as an up-and-coming team, so right now expectations are low. They are also the Bulls, a liked organization with plenty of history.

This is in stark contrast to when LaVine was with the Timberwolves, and alongside Anthony-Towns and Wiggins was expected to make a playoff push. So LaVine is benefitting from a change in the timeline of what is expected of him right now, and fans are just enjoying watching him play. It’s also putting him back in trade rumors, which is always a sign people are noticing your game.

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