Imminent return and the future of Zach LaVine with Bulls

Imminent return and the future of Zach LaVine with Bulls

Hi everybody welcome into the Bulls Talk podcast brought to you by Toyota Let’s go places I am Kevin Anderson joined by our Bulls Insider at NBC Sports Chicago Casey Johnson and our Bulls pre and postgame host Jason gof uh a man who we don’t have to wait to see if he gets

Healthy he is healthy um relatively right yeah yeah you know nobody’s as healthy as KC on his five but I’m getting there I’m getting there so so gentlemen I’m kind of fired up today so when we have a national broadcast for the Bulls which they’re only two this

Season we had last night on ABC ESPN with the production crew and there’s a TNT game coming up in a couple weeks those are the only two of the 82 this season that are are slotted to be on national TV there could be some picked

Up at the end of the year uh probably not yeah probably not uh but those are the two we have and so when you get a national broadcast you get a little different perspective of what the national perspective is on this team and and what’s going on and so you had

Multiple different segments with the ESPN’s pregame countdown at 6:30 and the ABC pregame at 7even o’clock Zack LaVine was a huge part of that discussion before we get into all of that let’s first get the health thing out of the way uh Casey the door is wide open for

Zack LaVine to return uh Friday night against Charlotte what do you know about that potential and is that a a very likelihood at this point well I mean it’s 10:22 on Thursday morning so I haven’t heard anything about how he feels today uh yet um I hope to at some

Point today but uh the injury report will come out today later today and he’ll be on it and he won’t be listed as out uh he’ll be listed as I would guess either questionable or probable which is either 5050 or 7525 and you know it’s been laid out for

Us he’s practiced three times this week with Windy City twice in intense fashion once was kind of a a peel backback session but he still did stuff on the court um so you get three days of practice you get off day today you have a shoo around tomorrow you’re training

Towards being available um but obviously if there’s any kind of hesitation in terms of him waking up today and not feeling great they could push that to Monday uh I think coming back Friday is beneficial for a couple reasons um first is a home game second of all you play

And then you have two off days until your next game Monday whereas next week it’s Monday Wednesday Friday Saturday um so I think you know it’s trending towards that way but nothing’s official until it’s official uh Jason it it felt like it was obvious to me uh in the loss

Against the Knicks especially the way that uh iio struggled what’s that not just the Knicks man I know I know I know yeah we certainly expand it beyond that specific to the Wednesdays game but there’s certainly uh games prior to that I think you can uh point to but specific

To the game against the Knicks not only because of the way iio struggled shooting Javon Carter struggled shooting that they badly need Zack LaVine back on the floor to provide some help in the scoring department for d rozan for Kobe perimeter shooting obviously huge strength of Zack um

What’s your opinion on how badly this team this Bulls team needs Zack cavine to be out there in order to then pick up the pace they’ve lost four of six so the The Good Vibes about oh they’re playing great without Z that’s kind that’s kind

Of in the in the past right now right you lose four of six uh it’s time for uh and part of that certainly Craig and Vu you know to me it’s like a compound interest thing you get three High rotation guys out all of a sudden making

Up for one star of being out is is one thing compared to three High rotation minutes guys being out um how badly in your opinion do they need Zack back I mean you know this the team was put together with Zach and mine right so when you when you don’t have talented

Players on the court or more talented players on the court or the the the roster construction that was thought of when the season started you’re gonna you’re gonna have some some issues um short term you Zach’s still a 25 Point per game guy right so he he he does that

By hitting tough shots he does that by getting hot like he’s he’s got some some very marketable skills so when they’re not in the lineup you know you take notice and the 15 16 games that we were all talking about uh you know the guys who were on this team when Zach wasn’t

Playing well was still on this team too and those guys were losing as well so so it’s not as if you you’re sitting here saying well you know this this 10- six run really has has shown me that this is a different team no they had to play a

Perfect style of basketball and they also had to hit shots at a ridiculous Pace that they hadn’t hit them before in the first you know the previous couple of Seasons I mean what we talk about the last two years this team’s three-point Acuity and then next thing you know Kobe

White goes on a 12 13 game Run where he’s hitting three or more threes I mean guys are hitting shots that you know above their um above their season averages for a 15 game stretch and then we act like the first 16 17 games didn’t

Have vot shooting the three at a at a clip that we weren’t used to and demard roosen not hitting mid-range shots at a clip that we weren’t used to so it’s kind of been like a tale of two seasons and now we’re heading into the third season where before that that Cleveland

Game to me showed you a lot if a team is ready to come out here and bust your ass you can’t just out fight it sometimes you just got to outscore people sometimes you just got to have more Talent on the floor than than than the try hards on the

Other side and when the try hards are you know balancing out what what talent you don’t have on the floor that’s what this last four or five game stretch looks like I mean you for me that Knicks game and you know I’m not the y’all know I feel strong enough about Billy

Donovan as a tactician as a coach I think he puts together some interesting things but man the small ball thing killed them it killed them it killed them they were one and done far too often against the Knicks and have been one and done like aside from Andre Drummond’s rebounding prowess you you’re

Going 6’4 65 as soon as he comes off the court yep right and if and if soogo isn’t prepared to play then it speaks to roster composition you know I mean he’s 6 foot n 245 pounds out there the least he could do you throw him out there and

And see what he could do like you threw him out there and garbage time the other night he he played okay against the Philadelphia 76ers I I can’t see Terry Taylor battling hardenstein and and and you know and some of the bigs that he had to battle against the New York

Knicks meanwhile the offensive rebounding numbers because Andre Drummond is getting the tip backs and the putbacks off of the same possession you know they’re not how can I say this they don’t feel like true offensive rebound numbers where it’s like okay two or three tips at the same possession

You’re you you’re one and done more times than not over this last week and then the only offensive rebounding that you’re getting is coming from singular possessions where you’re getting two or three shots at the goal you know they they out they out offensive rebound the

Bulls by two but you look at the disparity on the defensive glass this team is not good enough offensively I don’t care how you feel about Kobe I don’t care how you feel about Demar it’s not good enough offensively to have one crack at it that many times down the

Court so yeah missing Zack LaVine hurts missing talented players hurt and on top of it um when you’re not shooting lights out you know things kind of things kind of normalized a little bit I think that’s what this last week has been along with not having three rotational

Players in your lineup you do that to any team you’re gonna have issues right the Lakers are reeling right now because they got a lot of rotational players who just aren’t playing well or out of the lineup so yeah there’s a you know it’s it’s a it’s a perfect storm this last

Week or so for some uh some underwhelming basketball so if uh LaVine does indeed return against Charlotte the Bulls will have gone 17 games without him and they’ll have gone 10 and seven in that stretch that that is a a far cry from going 14 and3 right like 10 10 and

Seven is just is obviously slightly over 500 certainly better than the way they were playing much better than they were playing uh prior to that um Casey in your opinion given what you saw not just against the Knicks but certainly that Cleveland game to Jay’s point and I

Noticed that as well um how much of a boost uh are you expecting from Zack lavine’s return well initially not much because I think I would guess he might be on a minut restriction even if he’s not he’s not going to be in game shape

And also let’s just let’s just cut to to the chase I mean he was not playing well to start this season so I’m gonna get into that in a second but I’m glad Jason brought up the Cleveland game because to me it’s not just the Knicks game I mean

You can point it that Sixers game Nicks game Cleveland game even a little bit of the Denver game I hope I I I probably in the minor here but can we stop with the narrative that the Bulls are better without Zack LaVine yes please I I know

They won 10 and seven yes it was a more pleasing style basketball to play uh that they played with sharing the ball and ball movement and not pounding the ball and isolation they’re better without the Zack LaVine that started this season they’re not better with the

Zack LaVine that was that we’ve seen for the last two or three seasons okay if Zach can get back to that form he can fit in here at least for the short term I do think this is ultimately still headed for divorce whether that’s February 8th or in the off season um but

If he gets back to that that you know Rising decision maker elite shot maker efficient shot maker he absolutely can fit in with the way they’re playing and it is not Jason also brought up a good point it is not just Zach I mean they’re missing Tory Craig’s offensive

Rebounding they’re missing Nia vui’s ultimate connecting piece I mean their three-point rate is plummeted I think 30th since in the five games that that V has been out you know you can say what you want about V I know he’s a polarizing player he is a a a a fulcrum

And a hub for offense he absolutely is and offense do not run as efficiently when he’s not out there simple as that not a knock against Andre Drummond completely different player but completely different style so I’m tired of watching you know Demar try to play superhero and Kobe can he get hot and

Then IO and Javon up and down you know it’s just they need more offense and Zack LaVine is an extremely talented offensive player I don’t care if you don’t like him he’s an extremely talented offensive player yeah so um he will help I I’m not my expectations are

Low to begin with uh but he will help if he can round into the form that we saw the last two or three seasons and yeah go ahead go ahead go ahead I’m sorry I was done I was just gonna say I just I was just gonna end by saying he just

Can’t he can’t play the way he played the start of the Season that was a a regressive Zack LaVine yeah and I I think we’re um I don’t know how but you know taking 20 some odd points for granted uh is is very very revealing in

This day and age especially when you got team scored 140 you know on the Milwaukee but by the way the Bucks are cooked cooked they ain’t went in the damn thing with that defense uh but I I don’t know how we got to this point where cuz for whatever reason uh

Non-basketball people got a chance to into the basketball conversations and just say oh man anybody scor on a bad team 20 points 20 points oh he’s a Gunner and all this and if you really take a look at it if it’s that damn easy why why are we celebrating every time

Patrick Williams get 20 points like like why why why since Kobe white has gone on this you know 12 15 game Tear we like oh look at look at what’s happening here it’s not easy that’s why that’s why so when we zoom out get get outside of our

Feelings and actually look at what this team is and what it is that this team is not a championship Contender hell this team might even be a playoff Contender but in the time being there’s a lot of people I think and and and Vu is another

One V Vu is an easy target V is an easy target he doesn’t defend himself he didn’t he didn’t walk around pouting that the only times you’ve seen him pout he’s actually like got upset on the court and then then said something about it out that if anything he’s the truest

Form of a you know to me a professional he like hey speak your mind when your mind is is there to be spoken but we take things for granted and then when they get yanked off the team just because we didn’t like these players or just because you know it’s an easy

Target we act as if things are just magically better no you you see the warts in utility players once they get more at BS right and that’s what’s Happening Here you seeing guys who should only get 250 plate appearances get 600 plate appearances and you’re wondering why they’re not walking more

While their averag is going down those kind of things as Casey mentioned you know that con is very important in in the NBA that that that you know we talk about that hockey assist stuff it’s not happening on the perimeter anymore it’s happening right there at the nail where

Vu gets his work done so when he gets the ball he’s firing it out to open players and they haven’t hit him for the last couple of years and then you get mad that he has to take six or seven of them realize it’s a function of not only

His talent but the offense and the offense is constructed whether it’s right or wrong it’s all it’s constructed around three players in in Vu Jamal de Roan and Zack LaVine you know don’t don’t get twisted like Demar de rozan all of a sudden got pass happy he got

Pass happy because he had to kind of figure out who else is going to take this load off of him besides the dude who’s scoring 24 game shooting 46 47% from the field like he was two two years in a row so if Zack LaVine is a losing

Player like all those things can be addressed and and you’ve got evidence for it but what we also have evidence for is it ain’t easy to get 24 25 a game and and they need it because they can’t play the perfect style of basketball that they have to play when he’s not on

The court all the time like there’s a reason there’s a reason why you know water Finds Its level this team this team was shooting the lights out for a little bit and then they came back down to earth the defense suffered right rotations are different Billy’s trying to scrape and scratch things together

Yeah so yes yes I would like to have 24 points a game back on the court that that would be cool to watch again again a couple liar garcas on the team is what you’re saying guys who should not be getting 500 at B shout out toar getting

A straight for no reason damn hey you think of utility guys first guy I think of yeah I was I was gonna say somebody else’s name but so the thing also people I think completely forget about Zack LaVine he doesn’t need 30 shots to get 25 points

Right like he is a extremely efficient player 18 shots to get 25 points uh and I think a lot of people took for granted on how listen Kobe is a great story like we love Kobe his improvement from season to season how he played during those first three weeks in December was

Absolutely out of his mind Ian he was ahead of the the historic Pace shooting three at one point he was over 52% I believe shooting three that’s I mean he was ahead of Steph Curry ahead of halberton he’s having an incredible year as we all know uh but Kobe playing out

Of his mind kind of masked a little bit about oh we took a little Zack LaVine for granted a little bit maybe we do need his scoring back um all right so let’s get to one of the things I brought up at the beginning of the broadcast is

That the national telecast then goes into a deep dive on should the Bulls rebuild and we we certainly can get into that um but first in terms of the the market as it stands right now Adrien wowski quote there is no market for Zack cavine currently um and KC I I assume

I’ll first just throw this quickly to you um everything that you’re hearing that you’re reporting reinforces back up that statement is that correct yeah but you know there’s a lot of time between now and February 8 but you know I mean there’s just not they’ve had conversations I mean all teams talk you

Know uh but there’s not any been any concrete offers or um you know uh progressing or anything like that so yeah it’s just talking right now it’s just parameters yeah and so the the ESPN ABC pregame show uh which you know Stephen A Smith Michael wilbon of course

Is a very notable Chicago Bulls fan uh went Northwestern um and Bob Meyers you know spent several minutes talking about the whole situation with the Chicago Bulls and it’s interesting hearing from my perspective obviously were kind of really dialed into the Chicago perspective of things but from a

National point of view um they want to see you know Bob Meyer specifically says in his experience a lot of GMS in this situation want to see a guy get back get hot and then you unload him do you think Jay that is something the Bulls are kind

Of like hoping for that okay let’s see what if Zack LaVine does return indeed on Friday that you then essentially have four four plus weeks until the trade deadline February 8th do you think their goal right now is let’s see him stay healthy ramp up to his normal 34 minutes

A night hopefully play a high level 25 PPG plus and then see what the market is for him I mean I think that would be the only route right if if both sides are standing firm on the fact that that both sides are open to exploring options of

Zack LaVine playing elsewhere then yeah you want to come back play well and wow people and get that leverage you know as you go forward I mean OG anobi uh gets that much in return right and and and then you’re looking at some of the trades that the first trades of the year

Last year and you know when that market hasn’t really set itself who’s going to be the mark set I believe last year what it was was it James Harden last year or is it this year this year Harden would have been like second or third week of

The season this year yeah yeah so it’s you know that there’s too many there’s too many variables right there’s there’s there’s a couple of years of 40 plus and then an option you know two three years from now if I’m not two years from now if I’m not

Mistaken something like that there’s a lot of variables so if you gonna pay that kind of money if I’m sitting in the cup waiting to see if he’s healthier now yeah I want to see these next couple weeks and on top of it I want to see if

The same thing is gonna happen with the bulls if he’s healthy on the team and their 500 this way I can just like hey man you you you having me take this off of your hands right so now I can give you less now you have to take back a

Contract that you don’t want or something of that nature so yeah um I think the Bulls would love for him to come back go crazy and then you know win you know you said four is what a little less than a month so we’re talking what 13 games somewhere around there you know

Some 15 games 15 games they 15 games you know you go nine and six and you look at everybody say hey look Zack’s healthy and he helped us win now who wants him that’s that’s a perfect case scenario will this thing work out perfectly it hadn’t worked out perfectly up until now

I don’t see why that should stop and some of the the suitors you know that we talked about whether it be Philadelphia Miami or La these These Are teams in very different positions right now the Lakers put the pedal to the medal for the End season tournament and haven’t

Really won since and Darin ham now is being questioned right so are you now going to bring a player for a coach who is maybe on the hot seat supposedly right where’s Lebron going to be like is this the finally the time that people gonna start talking about trading LeBron especially since

You don’t know where his son is going to be drafted to and he know it’s it’s been known that he wants to play with his son you look at Philadelphia Philadelphia 76 has just kicked the hell out of the bulls and are they telling themselves okay well Tyrese Maxi has come along now

And we’re play paying Tobias Harris we’re paying him and of course Jan beid is who he is um do we want to take the ball out of Tyrese Maxi’s hands right you’re looking at Milwaukee would the Bulls ever trade him to Milwaukee what are you gonna get back from that team

Like yeah so yeah I if if I’m the Bulls you come back you hope he stays healthy you hope he plays well and you hope you gain leverage on some of these teams but these teams can also say you know look at that money look at how you guys have

Played without him and with him you know now you got to take something back it’s it’s all about what the Bulls want to do there there is no rebuild on the way so that it’s it’s what it’s about what the Bulls want to do but I do see this thing

Coming toing in uh if not on the eighth in the off season the main question in my mind is is a team going to be motivated enough to put an offer a serious offer out for Zack LaVine and then in return are the Bulls then going to basically accept

Whatever the best offer is on February 8th right trade deadlines at 2m Central you know 155 this is a situation in which they’re going to go okay this is the best offer and we accept it U you know that remains to be seen uh let me

Ask the question to both of you you just brought up Jay and this is something that was discussed uh significantly on ESPN’s pregame show should the Bulls Go full rebuild like in in your mind is this something that they should do given the situation in which you know you

Think for an organization like the bulls any any team that’s won multiple titles the goal should be Championship Contender every year you know certainly that is not the case for every team when you look at what the the Knicks um woses have been over the last couple decades

And certainly they’re trending in the right direction you know things are a much better spot than they uh were five years ago for the Knicks team but this is not a Knicks Talk podcast this is Bulls so in your mind should the Bulls just bite the bullet face reality and go

You know we need a full rebuild now what’s full rebuild though you I you got to set the parameters all right three of them gone all three two to three like what are we talking to me a full rebuild would be signaled flag waving Zach gone best offer February 8th gone Demar D

Rozan best offer February 8th gone Alex Caruso best offer February 8th gone to to me that is your waving the flag full rebuild right you know certainly this isn’t like to me full rebu doesn’t mean unload seven guys on the roster just because but we’re talking about certainly the Zack LaVine situation we

Discussed Demar D rozan is unrestricted free agent at the end of this season you’re not likely to get a a huge haul in return for dzen as a three-month rental uh and then certainly the one player that fits into every single team in the entire league championship aspiration rebuilding whatever it is

Because he doesn’t need the ball to have a Major Impact is Alex Caruso I mean they you know they were talking uh a couple days ago certainly the way Oklahoma City has played and there’s the little hesitancy to you make a major trade for Oklahoma City because you mess

Up that chemistry they develop they’ve got three incredible young players sga’s top two MVP candidate right now uh but guess who fits on Oklahoma City very very well Alex kuso and they certainly have the assets to make a deal done whether it’s a first and a second or

Multiple firsts whatever it might be so to me in terms of the parameters of should the Bulls Go full rebuild it’s those three players unloaded at the trade deadline um well I mean are we talking in reality or are we just talking like our opinion because I mean oh either one

You can answer however reality ain’t Happ yeah I mean it’s like they when they resigned V last summer I mean that tells you all you need to know right there I mean so um can they pivot sure but I don’t see it happening so my

Opinion I mean the time to do this was last year at the trade deadline and we never know we still not privy to what offers came if any um you know I was told that the the Nicks stuff was way overstated last last year’s trade deadline um so it’s not even sure if

They if they’ wanted to do a rebuild that they could have but the time to do it was last year um I don’t see this the I I don’t see the the the um logic in doing it now I really don’t I think you’re kind of like in between two paths

Right now and doing it now would actually be more painful than if you did it a year ago so um look they’re not in a good situation but you got to hope that Patrick Williams and Kobe white develop you gotta hope D and Terry BEC something you gotta hit on the trade of

Zack LaVine whenever that is and you know see where it goes from there but uh I I don’t number one I don’t think it’s gonna happen number two I I think it’s kind of the window to do that has passed J this thing thing is um I think it’s

Going to be like this until there’s someone who doesn’t want to be where they are at and wants to be in Chicago whenever that will be because we were told as a fan base um and as people who cover the team that this is going to be development and Drafting and that got

Booted out of the window when you traded for niik lusich and since that moment um they’ve been trying to catch up you know they’ve been trying to patch work of flawed roster we talked about shooting for two years all of a sudden now is okay we’re GNA get up more shots instead

Of add the shooters that are necessary Javon Carter has been fine I I don’t think he’s been what yeah he’s that’s what I’m saying I don’t think he’s been what everybody thought and and God bless Kobe white because remember what we the conversations we were having beginning year about like that starting point

Guard spot being up for grabs like if Kobe doesn’t take the step forward that he takes what are we talking about here right yeah Javon C is your starting point point guard maybe so um yeah I think this I don’t think it’s reality that we see a rebuild um and frankly like when

You when or if you trade Zack LaVine this thing is gonna hover around the seven through 12 range until they get from underneath the uh derail path that they stated that they were on in the beginning and they I mean is Mark everle and Urus carnish so um no I don’t think

There’s a rebuild coming and the people who um got it to this point I think will be allowed a couple of more spins to try to unearth a diamond or two in the draft maybe you know all those gems that Urus was supposed to be able to get into

Around the world when he was hired one of the things that was said about him hopefully he can get into some of those gems over the next couple years because um you know unless unless Andre sto yakovich is going to be a bull here like

The this is what you going to see this is what you’re going to see for the next couple of years I think with just different pieces so you hope the development part that was mentioned at the outset when this thing was put when the new Architects were were put in

Place you hope the development part um that’s the most important part of this team going forward right now it ain’t it ain’t attracting free agents it’s not trading for anybody Donovan Mitchell is not going to be swapped out for Zack LaVine okay like then no that’s the

Other thing too like for all the trades that people hey fine I’m you like it I love it but please believe that’s not coming back all right it’ll be a group of players and a couple of that you might not like one that everybody will build up because he’s maybe a young

Player that everybody wants to see but this is this this is gonna be some iteration of this for the next couple years I Believe by the way I just I just Googled Marco simonovich of stats for the first time in a while but oh you feel me Pi can’t be wasted yeah Bulldog

Bulldog I’m curious your answer to that question your own question what what do you think so the the question of will they no they will not do a rebuild they you know certainly what they’ve stated publicly over the last couple years um not going to happen the the question

Of will they no the question in my mind is should they do a full rebuild um I think they need to make the take the best offer for Zach as long as doesn’t really hamstrung your future cap space significantly because listen you’re going to get offers the Bulls are going

To get offers for Zack LaVine that just don’t make sense taking on a bad contract this isn’t a situation in which I think they need to unload Zach no matter what um I think if you have a fair offer into the point Jay just made this listen Bulls fans you’re not going

To like this trade like the bottom line is whatever unless it’s Keegan B some some people keeg Murray right that a happening that a happening now right like if that was my hope in uh in early November that Keegan Murray was available listen the way he’s played

Have played have out their minds the last two months there’s no way Keegan Murray’s coming back uh in the Zack LaVine trade so like let’s get this out of the way you’re not gonna like the Bulls trade for Zack Zack LaVine if it happens February 8th happens tomorrow

Whatever it might be you’re not going to like the return is going to be I think at most you can hope for a low protected first round pick and a young player that just hasn’t really worked out in their current situation right um and a bad cont you’re gonna take on some contract

You you have to I mean to to match Zach’s salary J James come on down yeah you know like you know Andrew Wiggins come on down right like so it’s going to be a situation hey like listen you got to prepare yourself that if you if you

Take back like kaminga right how we have to talk as Bulls fan like acting like we’re getting ready to go into a colonoscopy or something like hey man just get your mind around this okay it’s gonna be uncomfortable for a little bit but it’s for the best it’s for for the

Best it’s it’s something you need to do what a great analogy that’s the that’s the title the Bulls colonoscopy it’s actually a really bad analogy considering what I have scheduled for next week so thank in the too much information Department thanks Jason yeah casy hey man if you need somebody to talk you

Through it brother I’ll be on the phone with you I’ll be right there with you brother b w this is number two for me all right let’s stop let’s get off this topic let’s go let’s go Claire Mark Mark the moment AT 3150 when when Casey’s col

Is CLA we need an edit Claire we need you better not CLA by the way Casey proud of you everybody should get it done yeah stay healthy live long life right let’s get off that topic cover the Bulls for next 40 years let’s talk about the bulls not rebuilding back well I

Gotta finish my answer to KC we got sidetracked a little bit there so to me if you get a decently fair offer for Zack cavine you should take it right but there’s certainly parameters about that uh Demar D rozan you need to and this is something we’ve discussed at length over

The last six months you need to make a decision on your future with Demar D rozan in the next four weeks are you going to make a a true effort to resign him in the office season because if you’re not as an organization then you take the best offer period for him on

February 8th if he is not in your medium long-term plans as in two to three years right I I don’t think we expect D rozan to get a four-year max deal uh but he’s G to want probably two to three years for the next deal he signs he’s still

Playing at a pretty high level uh as we’ve talked about before his game ages fairly well um with the style of play he has so uh you need to make a decision by February 8 if that is indeed in your long-term plans and when it comes to

Alex cruso that’s it’s a tough one for me because he is obviously a great fit everything you want as a teammate as a player on the floor is extremely impactful without having to get up 15 to 20 shots a game he is great in the locker room he is respected among

Opponents respected among teammates he’s got Championship experience like this is the guy who you want on your roster but then when you look big picture to me are the Bulls going to be a contender in the next two to three years he’s gotta go he’s gotta go they’re not he’s gota go

He’s gotta go and so the answer to that question is no and so if you’re not going to be a contender in the next two to three years you’ve got to a do your due diligence and listen to offers for Alex Caruso and if those offers are two

First round picks they won’t be that high then yes so you no one’s giving up two first round picks for a elite I don’t want to call him role player that’s too diminishing too limiting but no one’s giving up two first round picks for alisar so I’m sorry then I know we

Gotta get out of here soon but I’ll just say this like one thing we haven’t talked about is like when when you bring up Caruso that might be the price of partying with Zack LaVine at the deadline that’s how you might have to entice a team is attach somebody

Something you don’t want to attach and Caruso would be one possibility there are others um less painful but that’s one thing we haven’t really explored here is that’s what a Zack LaVine Trey could look like is okay we’ll take Zach as long as you give us this too and

That’s what we’ll see how badly they want to get off Zack or young power forward yeah yeah or young power forward he’s played well enough these last 15 games is this the best you gonna get out of him you ask yourself that question he’s a restricted free agent

And I know these are the guys that drafted them that’s their first draft pick so there’s a special tie to them but um I think they’re over that by way right I’m just I’m just trying to you know just trying to put it in the right sphere Casey you make an excellent point

That maybe this situation for Alex is Caruso is not a a singular in a vacuum trade yeah maybe this is something then you then go okay then maybe we get a much better haul for Zach’s return you package cruso in uh but ultimately I think you have to listen to what the

Offers are going to be for cruso either individually or combine with Zach uh and then make a decision but in terms of like should the Bulls do full rebuild um I think they need to consider it I don’t think it should be completely dismissed I think if you you’ve got to answer the

D Roan question now the next four weeks uh make a decision there and then if you can get a decent return what you would say a good or great return with for carusel then I think you have to make that deal in the end the bottom line

Wins and the powers that be don’t ever want to see that Stadium half full again so you gotta keep take that into uh consideration as well always a factor yep always a factor they do not want to bottom out they do not want to be a a 15

To 20 win team um you don’t want to come anywhere close to what Detroit’s going through right um even though allar weekend did a lot of damage to a lot of Egos and they will not go back to that is’t that incredible you go back to Allstar Weekend a couple years ago and

Um yeah the the fan chance the perception around the league A lot can be a lot can be traced back to that that three four day stretch I miss L all dang and Joe Keem Noah yeah don’t we all yeah like I love seeing Joe Keem at the game

Yeah um yeah yeah so uh the these next four and a half weeks now through February 8th are going to be uh there’s going to be a lot of talk a lot of speculation but it is going to be pivotal honestly the next four to five weeks are gonna determine the next four

To five years for this franchise like I I don’t think overstating look at my guy Bulldog stepping out there listen that’s how pivotal the decisions you have to make right now yeah you could kick the can down the road for LaVine and yeah you could kick the can down the road uh for

Caruso they you know certainly Caruso is going to be under team deal for another year after uh after the season expires so um you could but there are some there are some tough decisions that have to be made with this front office with this team and it’s it’s there’s a there’s a

Lot that impacts the next many years down the road that that could impacted it’s only been 25 years since the last championship what’s the last what’s another five added on to that you know they’ve been in the Eastern Conference Finals once since 1998 so all Ring of Honor next week Bab maybe

Oh talk about talk about uh dated and starred on the calendar I can’t wait I cannot wait yeah which by the way will Purdue G to join us uh next Friday on the Bulls Talk podcast the Thursday uh we’ll have he’s getting that out the way

So you don’t have to do it afterwards so we don’t get the stories all the stories in my mind are gonna come out Thursday you know Thursday is the the kind of like the gala and the private event that they’re having for the Ring of Honor Friday is the halftime ceremony that’s happened

During the Warriors game but uh Thursday uh evening is when all the real stories are going to come out all the all the drama whatever happens whoever shows up do that um so uh yeah I mean this is uh this is where we are right now uh you

Know certainly the Bulls are going to play uh you know these next five weeks under a huge amount of scrutiny and Zack LaVine Is On Target to play on Friday and and certainly we’ll cover that in Bulls pregame and post game live with Jason and Kendall on Friday KC’s going

To be at the United Center so we will have everything there please check out KC on Twitter SLX kcj hoop uh you can see Jason on Bull’s pregame and postgame and listen to his own individual podcast the full go on the ringer podcast Network um so for KC and Jason I’m Kevin

Anderson this has been the Bulls Talk podcast brought to you by Toyota Let’s Go Places appreciate you liking and subscribing we really love your comments when they’re good ones even constructive ones really like too we don’t like fact I’m you know I’m gonna throw this out

Here real quick as I was wrapping up so we did the I did the last podcast with uh Kendall Gil Kendall is absolutely fantastic and I introduced Kendall as flying Eli ey Legend Kendall Gill we all know that to be accurate from the ‘ 89 flying AI ey somebody in the YouTube

Comments corrected me and said it’s fighting AI ey not Flying L like come on guys like what are we doing here I know stay out the comments Bulldog out the comments got stay out comments I’m like thew can’t you can’t do it bu come on now like let’s let’s do your history

Yeah flying elii 889 now we know what Nick Anderson’s burner account is though yep yep step BTO take the comments so for KC H for J I’m Kevin hope you really enjoyed the podcast you know what you can you can criticize all you want in the comments go ahead do it

Whatever you feel like uh have a great week everybody and go balls there it is

On this episode of the Bulls Talk Podcast, K.C. Johnson, Jason Goff and Kevin Anderson share updates on Zach LaVine’s injury. What are they expecting from his likely return Friday night against Charlotte (1:27)? They also break down the team’s most recent losses, and how LaVine’s return could impact their scoring (2:48). Later, they break down the most recent trade rumors surrounding LaVine (16:09). What should Bulls’ fans be prepared to get in return for him? Finally, they discuss why the Bulls need to make a decision about their future with DeMar DeRozan and Alex Caruso (32:40).

#ChicagoBulls #ZachLaVine #DeMarDeRozan

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Imminent return and the future of Zach LaVine with Bulls
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