Bulls are hearing the free agency ding-dong, but no one is at the door
Reality came knocking by Tuesday.
Unfortunately for the Bulls, when they opened the door to answer no one was there.
That’s what executive vice president of basketball operations Arturas Karnisovas was facing just a few days into the free-agent period. Players to move, plans to try and carry out, and not one domino falling his way in order to help that process along. A good old fashioned ding-dong ditch.
First, there’s the elephant in the room that’s taken residency there for almost two years: What to do with two-time All-Star Zach LaVine and the three years, $137-plus million he has left on his max contract?
The Bulls continue shopping LaVine to anyone that picks up the phone and have presented dozens of options in the last few months alone, according to one source.
While there is a scenario in which LaVine is not moved and returns to the Bulls, he would do so to a locker room that would welcome him back, but a front office and ownership group that consider it the worst-case scenario.
An NBA insider told the Sun-Times on Tuesday that the relationship between LaVine and the team’s top brass is completely shattered and “filled with mistrust.”
LaVine and his representation at Klutch Sports feel like they were misled on possible trade destinations, and the Bulls thought LaVine “opting” for season-ending right foot surgery when rehab on the injury was still on the table was a counterpunch thrown below the belt.
There was a reason that when the Bulls released the statement on LaVine’s surgery decision they made it a point to state, “guard Zach LaVine and Klutch Sports Group have elected surgery on LaVine’s right foot as the next step in his recovery process.”
Karnisovas and coach Billy Donovan did insist that LaVine’s group was meeting with Bulls medical throughout, but the source said it was more LaVine and group letting the Bulls know what they were doing rather than looking for input.
The on-the-court concern with a LaVine return was an obvious one: Where to play him?
The youth movement is alive and well, and with Josh Giddey penciled in as the starting point guard and Coby White moving back off the ball, what does that leave for LaVine? A positionless three-guard attack? Not with the defense that trio plays.
That’s why moving LaVine by almost all means necessary remains priority No. 1. Nothing new for LaVine.
“Nah, there’s a lot of things that don’t bug me,” LaVine said in his last interview with the Bulls media in the spring. “My name has been circulating around more than once from the beginning of my career to now. If I let people’s opinions bug me or influence me, I wouldn’t be where I’m at today, so I go out there and keep doing me. Haven’t really talked to anybody, but we’ll continue to push forward.”
In a perfect world, Karnisovas would also like to get off of Nikola Vucevic’s contract, but considering how dry the center market has become, keeping Vucevic isn’t necessarily a bad thing for now.
Finally, there’s what becomes of veteran forward DeMar DeRozan? The Sun-Times reported on Monday that DeRozan has done a 180 and no longer bleeds red and white like he insisted the previous three seasons.
Not that he should.
DeRozan’s watched behind-the-scenes personnel that he was close to being shown the door this offseason, and then one of his favorite teammates in Alex Caruso traded for Giddey.
For DeRozan it’s about how he finds his way on a new roster and at what price. The market has dried up quickly and there’s a good chance he’ll be taking a one-year, prove-it deal unless the Bulls can help him with a sign-and-trade.