Zach LaVine injury, trade rumors and mid-season impressions of Bulls

Zach LaVine injury, trade rumors and mid-season impressions of Bulls

Hi everybody welcome into the Bulls Talk podcast brought to you by Toyota I am Kevin Anderson joined by our Bulls Insider for NBC Sports Chicago and NBC Sports chicago.com Casey Johnson uh Casey let’s start with the what we know about Zack LaVine it’s unfortunately a little ankle injury he did return to the

Game against Toronto the Bulls uh officially are not having an immediate availability on Friday uh we’re taping this on Friday morning um what what’s your sense just from seeing him and and and when we might learn more about Zach’s status for Saturday yeah I wasn’t in Toronto because that game was on a

Different network as they like to say in the business uh so uh I didn’t get a chance to talk to Zach but you know saw what everyone else saw it did look like a pretty significant role I have talked to Zach previously about his ankles he’s got very pliable and strong ankles I

Mean he he’s the kind of guy that can roll them and and typically bounce back pretty quickly which is what you saw him him return from that um first instance but you know he only played just over two minutes in that fourth quarter and

As soon as he came out I tweeted in real time like this is not normal um and you know Billy Donan told reporters in Toronto afterward that he just didn’t look like he was moving right to him and Zach kind of told him it was still

Bothering him so they they aired on the side of caution we’ll get an idea what this his status is off the injury report because if he’s probable that means 7525 if he’s questionable that means 5050 if he’s doubtful that means 2575 and if he’s out he’s out um it’s unfortunate

You know he’s only played Seven since he came back for missing 17 and um he’s talked to me and others about how much he you know missed playing he hates missing games and 17 games is a lot of games to miss so for the Bulls sake on multiple levels you

Hope he’s healthy because there’s also the uh the trade Saga playing out on the the back burner with three weeks to go until the deadline so uh this hopefully is a short-term thing or a nothing thing uh for the Bulls and for Zach so I’m quickly looking forward to February

9th I just I just texted that to my sister because also that’s uh the day after my uh Senior High School’s last college uh application is due so I’m really looking forward to February 9th so that that’s a big day on multiple levels for you I might drink it again I told

Her try januaries could not end quick enough yeah um but you know we we have less than three weeks like trade deadline is coming um certainly the Zack LaVine story is looming and will not go anywhere we will not have any uh definitive answer at least for this

Season until uh 2 pm 21m on February 8th um what are you what are you hearing what can you share what are you reporting about what you know right now about the status of either Zack or anybody else on the Bulls who uh could potentially be involved in trade talks

Yeah I mean the Zach front remains quiet I mean you’ve seen actually even stronger reporter reporting coming out of Los Angeles now that you know both Brian windhorse and Dave mcmean from uh ESPN have said there’s zero% chance the Lakers are trading for Zack LaVine you know I’ve never even other than writing

That the Bulls weren’t interested in Russell and hachimura um I’ve never really written much because I just haven’t heard much about that package I mean if if the Lakers moved off their stance of no Austin reefs then the Bulls have to have a conversation but they’ve given no

Indication they’re going to do that and you know with those guys reporting that as strongly as they were I don’t see that changing so it’s going to take us a team that we don’t know of or see yet or it’s not going to happen which you know

I’ve been saying for a while and now I think Bulls fans need to prepare for that possibility um you know when this story first broke way back when I remember saying on our pregame show it’s a matter of uh when not if Zack LaVine

Gets traded I stand by that I mean if it doesn’t happen by February 8th they’re going to work like hell to get this done in the offseason because both sides are ready for divorce that is clear and that has been clear for some time um so it’s

Not like the Bulls you know I say like oh the I get I hear a lot oh the Bulls should trade Zack LaVine they you know there’s there’s they’re sitting on Zach to long they’re building on continu no I mean they’re open to Trading Z LaVine

Right now but they you can’t salary dump a max player you just can’t you can’t make a bad trade he he is an asset um I do think you know they moved off their stance of overvaluing him I mean I don’t think they’re looking for an allar in

Return but they’re you know they you can’t you can’t come to ownership and say Here’s D’Angelo Russell and Ry Hamera and a maybe a first round pick that’s five six years down the road you just that’s not a organizational trade that makes sense from my perspective so uh if it’s not

Zach who I’ve reported many times is the main focus you know Caruso is going to be drawing calls over the next three weeks I’d be surprised if they move him um but um you know if it if an offer gets pretty rich maybe they move off

That stance and then as far as D rozan I don’t see a huge market for him because the time to trade for him was last year at this time when you have him for two playoff runs and you get his bird rights as an expiring contract unless you’re dead set on resigning him

I don’t see a team giving up a lot for him and the Bulls still value dear strongly on an internal basis so uh I still see that moving towards some kind of extension uh I don’t think it’s the number he’s making but I still see that moving towards the

Extension um and then you know you move on to smaller pieces like do they move Andre Drummond who I know would draw interest if he were to put into play but those are those are smaller moves the focus Still Remains Zach but it’s just you know as you and I are hit taping

This on January 19th it’s it’s pretty quiet on that front I think a lot of fans looked at the return that Toronto got for Pascal sakam and said why can’t the Bulls get that for Zack LaVine right I think that you know certainly as an expiring deal the Pacers would not have

Done that deal if they didn’t have strong Assurance they were going to be able to resign SE yakum uh which is looks to be the case it’s seems like he and his agent are very happy that he’s going to be a Pacer and then will be

Likely for a long time um the Zack LaVine discourse to me is is very interesting because you’ve got these wildly different opinions from fans about what his value is to the Bulls some want him off this team because they think he is an absolutely horrible Defender which is not the case uh and

Want him gone no matter what other fans think you’re crazy for trading him because of the skill set he brings offensively and certainly scoring he improved defense um seems to be a pretty good locker room guy he’s not causing issues this is not a hardened situation

He’s not going out in the clubs and and having chance against the Bulls front office and things of that nature um where do you stand for Zack lavine’s value on the Bulls not necessarily in a trade because that is completely dependent on a team being motivated to

Get him but where do you stand in terms of the Bulls being a better team with Zack LaVine and what he brings skill set to to the floor yeah I mean to your point about cakam I mean to me you’re the reason why that was such a hall is I

Mean the Pacers are paying for free agency there because they’re not the type of franchise that attracts free agents so that’s their free agency move right there is that trade for seak that’s why they they ponied up as much as they did and you know quite frankly

They’re ahead of schedule so they they made a bold move because uh I love that fit I mean sakam is a fantastic fit in Indie from my my perspective I mean he is as good as they get as a big man in that short roll situation if you trap

Halbert and you know dish to him and he turns and has a three on two or four on three he’s good at with his length scoring or surveying the floor and driving and dishing so that’s that’s a great move for Indiana you know I’ve it’s pretty well documented I’ve been a

Pretty staunch Zack Defender because I think the discourse on him has been so skewed to focusing on his faults rather than his strengths and I mean up until this season he was one of the most efficient and Elite scorers in the league I mean it’s true shooting was

Over 60% for I believe three straight Seasons he’s just he’s just assassin and he can score on three levels this season Zach has taking a step back I mean there’s just no getting around it he did not play to his standards uh before his injury not only with his shooting

Percentages being below his career marks but his I thought his decision-making regress and you know that the Boston game where he exited I mean it just looked like everybody was kind of disinterested that game so that’s a hard thing to recover from I think he has played better since he’s returned he’s

Certainly been more engaged on the defensive end I like his willingness to you know keep his teammates in Rhythm I mean he’s told Kobe white Kobe told me flat out like Zach’s telling me like I’m just here to keep you in your Rhythm man you know I want to support your growth

So that’s a good teammate that’s to your point why he’s not a cancer he’s not like a selfish cancer or toxic situation in the locker room but his value is regressed this year for the Bulls not even just from a trade perspective for the Bulls I mean right now he’s kind of

Like a glorified three and D guy I mean he’s taken I mean last time he left early with the injury but he took seven shots season low two of the other six games prior to last night since his return He took eight shots and on the

One hand he’s you know making the right play and trying to fit in on the other hand you’re talking about Zack LaVine one of the most efficient and Elite scorers in the league and he’s taking singled digigit shots I don’t I don’t like that you know so he seems like he’s

In the corner a lot in catch and shoot situations I don’t mind that but it’s just been it’s just been a underwhelming season for both the Bulls and for Zach to this point there’s no getting around that yeah it’s been interesting to me to watch how teams are still defending him

Like in his elite elite scorer which he is you know certainly not necessarily uh the Thursday night game but the the games prior specifically the San Antonio game uh you see the Bulls run a pick and roll with Zack and he would immediately get trapped immediately get doubled

Coming off that as the ball handler and it was seemingly getting frustrated to him because the right basketball plays to pass out of that you know there were a couple times I think uh in that San Antonio game specifically and the the Cavs game which he got up a shot to get

Up a shot to try and get in Rhythm but you know certainly to your point his shot attempts are nowhere near what they used to be uh you know a healthy Zack LaVine what we expect getting 17 18 19 shots uh in a game but teams are absolutely double and trapping him there

Was there was one play that I tweeted out they ran a screen roll with Kobe because prior to that every time they had done the action with Vu it was immediately double on Zack they ran it with they doubled off of Kobe they reset they ran this is the same possession

They ran the pick and roll high up off of V doubled Zach off of that eventually they found the ball worked around to Io Io passed it off to Zach who was open for Split Second and two Defenders converged immediately on Zach before he he as the pass was being made and so

You’re still seeing teams defend him because they know what he can do but it’s you know to your point point about the being a a a catch and shoot guy he he’s is Elite in that role but it also is odd seeing him go possessions and multiple possessions without touching

The ball because he’s the guy in the corner that is the decoy to kind of keep the defense on him in in that situation so it’s been just it’s a it’s a weird year and a weird season for him you just very much so yeah and and in the seven

Games since he’s been back I just looked it up he’s averaging 11 point shots per game for the season he’s averaging 15 shots per game last season he averaged 18 shots per game and three seasons ago when you know obviously they didn’t have D rozan Etc he was averaging

20 shots a game now I don’t need Zack at 20 shots a game but I certainly don’t need him at 11 shots a game so I think you know 15 16 17 that’s that’s where you want Zack LaVine but you know the other thing is that we haven’t touched

On yet is like he’s really had trouble finishing this season I mean there was that first quarter in clev where he got to the cup three times on just beautiful drives and I’m not saying there are Point Blank misses because there was still a little bit of traffic left but

One of them was definitely a point blank miss the other two I think there was still at least one hand up but I mean that’s the stuff you used to see him just be elite at and his finishing this season has just not been to his standards and he doesn’t dunk the ball

Much anymore I get that that that started before this season but a couple times you’d like to see him just throw one down you know after gets to the rim because he’s got such jaw-dropping athleticism and I think uh you’ve seen him play a little bit more below the rim

This year and um it’s just it’s just been a weird season from the jump and it got weirder when you know his Camp took the stance that they did at the time that they did I mean to to make that Salvo before kind of the league opens

For business it caught the Bulls off guard I know that for sure so you do that now like like if if I’m advised ing him about this like you publicly come out with that in first week in January so essentially you have four to five

Weeks I know why he did I mean multiple reasons he was tired of losing he he he was frustrated um you know and I reported this he was frustrated that they tried that they had talks trading him last year and you know then they got off to

The slow start and he just they just kind of hit their breaking point but it’s just it’s just been a weird season all the way around and uh like I said it feels like most sides are ready for divorce why that happens is anybody’s guess we’ve seen his rebound numbers

Take a significant uptick his assist numbers have been up he’s making the right basketball plays just the scoring and the shot attempts just are are not there for multiple reasons that we just went over um on the positive end aside from Zach and then uh uh Bulls Jay my

Friend on Twitter SLX tweeted this note out Bulls are 10 and3 in clutch games since Zach went down with the injury so in their last 13 clutch games uh since the beginning of December uh they are 10 and three in those games and so that is a significant Improvement of what we saw

Last year of how they performed in clutch games and it is a positive sign that they are learning how to win these close games whether they’re ugly wins or pretty wins is kind of irrelevant in this situation because they are winning games and we saw another clutch win in

Toronto um is is that a sign to you that the team is learning how to compete in those moments and that the players individually whether it’s Kobe and others are learning how to overcome those moments and win those games that historically in the last couple years prior maybe they weren’t you know

Certainly last season they weren’t well this is exactly why and I picked them to win 43 games because you know we’ve talked about this before on the podcast two seasons ago when they won 46 they were lights out in clutch games and last year when they won 40 games they were

Poor in clutch games so I thought it kind of just kind of self-correct and kind of fall in the middle which is why I picked the middle 43 wins um I don’t know man I mean they weren’t very good in clutch games at the start of the

Season so I think it’s just kind of I I I will give them credit for this they they played the most clutch minutes in the league at 101 I’m gonna write something on this at our website uh today NBC Sports chicago.com um that’s seven more minutes

Than number two Brooklyn Nets to me what what’s happening is they’re doing it the defensive end they’re they’re they’re first in the league in defensive ready in clutch games uh at 96.2 uh by a lot that’s impressive that that’s a good number like that’s really good and you know when you’re in clutch

Moments some of that is you know uh random in luck I mean it’s opponents missing free throws or three open three-pointers I mean it’s not all just clamp down but I mean there has they have been really good defensively down the stretch of games so uh and their

First by a lot Orlando Magic is second at 98.8 so that’s 2.6 behind per 100 possession so um you have to give them credit um and like you know like you said they they they’ve been really good since the start of December and uh you know we’ll see if they can continue this

But that’s that’s why I picked them to win um 43 games this year I just thought they would be better in clutch games to this point they have been they’re 13-9 overall and like I said they played the most clutch minutes at 101 so they currently sit ninth uh in

The East which is you know firmly in the playin conversation you know much better than where we thought they were going to be after that 5 and 14 start uh they’re 20 and 23 43 games in they’ve played more games than most of the teams in the

Entire league uh right now so we’re over the Midway point of the season um and this is the first chance that you and I have had a chance to talk on the podcast since they hit that Midway Mark um how do you assess the first half of the

Season F the first 41 games and you could be 43 games we’re right there you how do you assess that you give them because of that do do you kind of grade them on a curve on such how they overcame that that horrible start and and say okay they’re playing better you

Give them like a C+ how would you assess the first half of the Bulls no I I well I mean c is the the letter it’s just whether you go C+ C or C minus I mean they’re definitely average um and to me I just can’t get past that five 14th

Start I’m sorry I know they played better since then but here’s the thing even though they played better since then in terms of wins and losses they have the 24th ranked offense so after all that talk about you know tweaking things and nationville training camp and Randomness and less isolation and yes

The offense has looked better they had 30 assists again and over 50% shooting again last night those are good things to happen but they’re 24th ranked offense still that’s exactly where they were last year I just don’t understand it so to me the only Bright Spot Not the

Only but the main bright spot obviously is um Kobe White’s uh development and his growth I mean he to me is a legit uh just he’s a legit building block I mean yeah so uh that’s that’s the biggest thing but I don’t know I probably give

It a flat C I mean because they’re about where I thought they’d be they’re a little bit under I mean they’re what uh 19 and 20 no 20 and 20 three yeah so three under yes I have them going 43 and 39 four over so I thought they’d be a

Little bit better now um than they are right now but this is about what I expected other than that horrific start you know the other part you mentioned about the offense their pace is dead last in the league and it’s it’s not even close like they are 30th in

Pace uh what you know Miami’s 29th um and they’re not even close to Miami and so like the the big points of emphasis that we heard about in training camp and about what we wanted to improve on from last season certainly there’s been an uptick in three-point attempts and

That’s been good to see um that was there was a lot made about them essentially starting every game with the deficit because of the amount of Threes they make and the amount of Threes they attempt but they really aren’t taking any like they’re not a better offense than they were last year

They’re not like they were were they 24th last year right that’s what I’m saying yeah so like uh in their defense is regressed overall you know collectively for the season so yeah it’s I I would probably give them a c minus um grading the first half of the season

For me uh you’re exactly right I mean they they are they are the definition of mediocre they are the definition of average when you look at the season overall certainly it’s been much more entertaining and they’ve been winning a lot more games uh since the beginning of December since I think November 30th

When it really started to turn around against the Bucks and so there is hope in me about how they can continue to move up in the standings so that they are not traveling to two playin games that they would host a playin game in some situation whether

It’s as the 78 and then hosting the 910 loser if they lose the 78 um to get in the playoffs you know they can continue there’s there’s a lot of teams bunched up together as we’ve discussed before in the Eastern Conference and there is room to move there they’re not going to host

A first round playoff series they’re they’re not going to move up uh very unlikely to move up even to the top six in the East there’s just too many teams there to kind of overcome and that are are really good teams in the East including like the Knicks in the Cavs of

The world and the Pacers of the world um but they’re solidly a playing team which if you’re looking for a little bit of hope that’s a good thing right it certainly you don’t want to be bottom out and then be where the Wizards and the Hornets and the Pistons are in the

Conference um but you know you just you just want them like we want a winner in this town right like just isn’t just like the the Bulls just collectively with all of our City’s teams we want winners we want to watch teams that are consistently in the playoffs and uh

We’re we’re in a collective drought uh right now then and um we have breaking news though I just look they actually moved to 23rd in offensive rating after last oh look at that okay but but but but it gets but it gets bad again uh they’re actually at

112.1 this season and last season when they finished 24th they’re 112.8 so their offense is actually worse this year through 43 games than it than it was uh last year so man oh man that’s hard to believe but it speaks to the slow start and that you know that start

Was we’ve talked about this but that start was so so weird because everybody was shooting well below their career percentages I mean Patrick Williams has raised his Kobe has raised his dear has raised his Zack has raised his just still not the level that he’s used to

Caruso has been good all season so um but yeah they’re they’re they’re scoring less per 100 possessions through 43 games than they did last year it’s unbelievable uh I want to ask you question that um my group chat debated a couple days ago and I tweeted this out

Of D rozan LaVine and vuvi specific to this season only which of those three players do you believe has positively impacted winning the most on this team well are you talking strictly on the court or are you talking about strictly on the court strictly from a uh

Production you know I don’t want to take into the intangibles about uh locker room leadership and those things just strictly on the court and I’ll give you I’ve got got uh close to 500 over 550 votes uh on this poll uh and it’s firmly 62% uh respondents believed D rozan of

Those three players has impacted the winning the most fuvi 31% and Zach at 7% um and so specific to that Trio because I think overall if we were taking the entire roster Kobe and Caruso would certainly be ahead of that group um but specific to D rozan LaVine and vu

Uh who do you think has impacted in a positive way winning the most this season uh I would probably go with d rozan uh I’m looking at some Advance stats here real quick his win Shares are much higher than than V’s uh uh yeah I’d probably go with Rosen

But I mean it’s all kind of underwhelming isn’t it it’s like it is it is a little bit yeah yeah um and it’s kind of a certainly Zach is a very very distant third not only because of times Miss but what we discussed earlier about Zach’s production this

Year so Zach’s not even in the conversation but I think it is an interesting debate between D rozan and vuich uh because there are certain aspects I mean certainly vui’s shooting is way down uh however I think as we saw as much as we loved Andre Drummond getting the 24 and

25 Game and his rebounds was a good story when V is out but from an offensive impact we saw just the lack of playmaking and we this team really missed F in the middle there when he was out for that five game stretch and even coming off the bench after that um I

Honestly think I might lean towards vu in that situation in terms of the impact he brings to this team and uh where the roster is and how much you miss him not only Vu himself but then roster wise cascading down because there is no backup to Drummond in that situation it

Also B makes the offense run more smoothly with his ability to serve as a connect connecting piece and and Theory his ability to space the floor but I I you know I keep mean to catch up with v more at depth than this I just talked

Him briefly about it in Cleveland I mean I don’t think his three-point shooting has got enough attention I mean he’s shooting 26.6% from three I me that is just a huge off of a cliff um you know he’s a career 34.2 shot 34.9 last year um you

Know he’s a few seasons removed from shooting over 40% on seven attempts let’s see no 6.5 attempts per game he’s at 4.1 attempts so that’s really that’s hurting the Bulls offense he did have that huge Corner three in San Antonio um but yeah it’s uh he he is

An important piece but I still lean to Rosen just slightly yeah the interesting thing it’s not just a early season slump now for f right this is this is kind of like is this who he is from production standpoint um you know and his passing is very very good his playmaking is very

Very good but when you don’t have that three-point shooting that you’re used to it it’s an issue because you need him to space the floor you Absolut absolutely do um and so yeah I’m curious what he says and what he thinks the reason is is

It just um is it a mechanics thing is it is it a mental thing is it just a prolonged slump that he can’t figure out why it’s why it’s occurring U because 24 25% for somebody taking more than one three a game is is not good I mean even

34% just quite honestly is average uh but like I think we would all be very happy if he was at at that 34 35% uh situation right now so um yeah I mean certainly I there’s nothing wrong with thinking D rozan um has impacted winning the most um but there there are moments

Which we’ve discussed at length about the iso situation and the bog down of the offense that is a little bit frustrating but he also comes up clutch and he played well um you know certainly he had that patented uh pump fake uh that Drew a foul at the end of the

Toronto game and everyone in the entire arena there specifically knew it was coming and he still got it so it’s uh you know he still impacts winning in a good way um last thing I want to bring up this is something we you know haven’t necessarily talked about a lot but Javon

Carter is virtually out of the rotation right now he he was both yours and eyes pick back way back when before training camp even started to likely be the starting point guard in this team um he is essentially the 10th Man in Billy’s rotation and he likes to go nine so he’s

Not getting much play how is Carter handling that from what you can see um and and is that in your opinion the right move for Donovan given who he has healthy right now certainly that may change his Zach um ends up missing some more time but the Carter situation uh

Very intriguing to me yeah so the positive side of that is and you can read his comments at NBC Sports the positive side of that is that dude’s about as professional as they get I interviewed him the other day after practice about his not being in the rotation and man anybody who thinks

Athletes are entitled or selfish go read his quotes because it was incredible what he said uh just talking about how blessed he is to be in the NBA and how his job is to be ready whenever he’s called and you’ll never hear a peep from

Him and I’ve seen it with my own eyes I mean he is one of the most positive and encouraging teammates in that locker room so that that’s the positive side the negative side is that this dude was your main free agent signing seconds into free agency at $6 million a year

And he’s not in the rotation that’s that’s not good now I’m partial to shooting so I’m not saying I’m right here but I would be playing him over Dal Terry I’m just I understand the the the reason you’re playing dalon Terry because he’s a first round pick and you

Want to develop him and he has shown some flashes ability to defend I’m sorry yeah defend rebound and pass you those things but I’m just I I’m a you know aging division three Gunner no defense shooter and I just love shooting and I think you need Javon Carter out there

More because when you play him regular minutes he typically you know can provide you some three-point shooting and dalon Terry just does not have that tool in his bag at this point I mean some of his misses are yikes um so uh you know I know D ter gives you

Positional size too and that’s been some sometimes a matchup thing but man you went out and got this guy second I believe he was the first you know tweet in free agency this year not just for the Bulls but for the whole league I mean it was immediate and um it’s just

It’s this is not what any of us thought when they they signed javar Carter because he had a really good year from Milwaukee last year he played 81 games shot over 42% from three um now he only averaged eight points because he’s you know reserved but you know he’s had the

Hest factor is Yan is just creating that much gravity that he’s just open all the time I I don’t know man I mean every time the Bulls played him I thought that dude is a tough Nails Defender and three-point shooter so I I just was expecting more of an impact but to his

Credit man like I said go check out his quotes at our at our website some really good stuff from him about his mindset and where he’s at yeah I mean their two biggest offseason editions are’t on the floor right now for the most part inury but yeah yes yes exactly right again and

Certainly we hope Craig is back soon and you know he is another piece that um brings a lot to the table and certainly I think from a rotation standpoint when Craig is healthy he’s going to be getting significant minutes off the bench um I mean he started several games

As well so yeah the Carter thing is um I’m with you in terms of Carter versus Terry if that’s truly the minutes to be divvied out I think I’d rather have that shooting that Carter brings um Terry does some things really well uh but the inability to space the floor offensively

Is is an issue and if you’re gonna have we talked about Vu isn’t hitting threes very well like you need you need somebody else that back there that’s G to keep the defense honest um so yeah we’ll just see how that develops but you know played just a few minutes against

Toronto as several DMP CDs uh in the last several games so we’ll see what happens with Carter moving forward um D Terry shooting 19.4% from three-point range yikes yeah which honestly you put that in perspective of V shooting 24% it’s like oh my gosh you know just not not

Good not good uh collectively um so we’ve got uh you know Memphis coming up we’ve got you know some some quote winnable games on the schedule lot games coming up in the next several weeks for the Bulls before the trade deadline we of course are under three weeks away

From February 8th we’re all going to be very happy when we get to uh 21 pm on February 8th which which by the way uh we’re currently putting together plans for a uh streaming show uh at 2m Central on February 8th with h Jason and Kendall and certainly if you’re available to KC

This is my official ask to you publicly if you’re available at that time I’ll beus which so coincidentally is uh but I they have this thing called Zoom so I’ll I’ll be I’ll be ready uh but uh coincidentally they’ll be in Memphis on the trade deadline uh they played

Memphis and and so D Rose will be in the United Center uh tomorrow not in the rotation has been injured um so uh the D Rose chance will have to be for him probably in a in a in a in a bench roll or a street Clos rooll I don’t know what

He’ll be tomorrow but uh yeah I don’t think you’ll get an MVP chance on the court tomorrow chance for both fans which honestly it’s it’s a shame because you know he only now makes it appearance at the UC a couple times a year once um yeah yeah Grizzlies once yeah um and it

Just that’s like I want that moment for him because he is beloved by this fan base and even if it’s in a mop up last three minutes of a blowout like the Crowd Goes Nuts when he steps on the floor as well as they should be right

Like so um like it’s just a bummer that we don’t have that won’t have that moment for him uh tomorrow night um hopefully next year wherever he plays he’s still under the contract with Memphis for a couple years right I uh I can’t remember if he signed with an option

Or yeah hopefully next year three years but I think once an OP no two years guaranteed yeah so hopefully next year he’s healthy when Memphis makes an appearance at the United Center and he gets that moment um because he deserves it and I just I cannot wait

Until several years in the future in that Ring of Honor event in which Derek is inducted because the the atmosphere for that will be incredible and he he will get all his flowers that he deserves on that night unless the people that uh turn on him for not playing that

Season come out and boo oh wait sorry God no don’t go there those people will be ejected from the United Center and banned for life for those people bad it’s a good one though uh but no he’s he’s gonna like he’ll he’ll get like the the Ovation that Phil got in

That moment which was tremendous um like that that is what probably times 10 that Derek will get uh on that night but uh yeah so he’s not gonna he’s not gonna be as far as we’re Weare he’s officially out for the game Saturday night unless there’s a miracle

Recovery of some kind so he’s not going to get that mvp chance when he steps on the floor for the Grizzlies this season uh hopefully hopefully next year uh that occurs so it’s it’s a big three-week stretch for this Bulls certainly uh if you want to keep the latest on anything

Involving the team certainly trade rumors check out uh KC on Twitter SLX kcj hoop his work will be featured on nbcsports chicago.com and certainly our pre uh game and postgame shows uh here on NBC Sports Chicago so for KC I’m Kevin Anderson this has been the Bulls

Talk podcast brought to you by Toyota Let’s Go Places thank you for listening everybody hope you like And subscribe if you watch the show on YouTube and comment thank you for that as well and if you just listen to it on anywhere you download podcasts thank you for that too

So we got a big week ahead of us go bows

On this episode of the Bulls Talk podcast, K.C. Johnson and Kevin Anderson discuss the ankle injury Zach LaVine suffered during Thursday night’s game against the Raptors. Plus, the very latest on trade rumors surrounding LaVine and other members of the team. They dive into the LaVine discourse from the fans and what his value is to the Bulls. Later, they break down the first half of their season, and K.C. hands out his mid-season grade. They discuss which player among LaVine, DeRozan, and Vucevic has made the biggest impact on winning this season. Plus, why has Jevon Carter been absent from the rotation, and how is Carter handling it?

#ChicagoBulls #ZachLaVine #JevonCarter

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Zach LaVine injury, trade rumors and mid-season impressions of Bulls
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