Bulls Injury Update: Zach LaVine to Have Season-Ending Surgery

LaVine’s foot issues have been a problem since November. The two-time All-Star only appeared in 25 games and averaged 19.5 points, 5.2 rebounds, and 3.9 assists in his 10th NBA season.

Bulls Drop the Ball with Zach LaVine

LaVine and his agency, Klutch Sports Group, gave the Bulls the notion to execute a trade by the NBA's Feb. 8 deadline. The 28-year-old was the subject of several trade rumors but nothing came to fruition. LaVine's injury issues didn't help matters as the Bulls played better team basketball without him.

LaVine is on a max contract extension but hasn't lived up to its value. Any trade destination would likely deploy him as its third option or the best player in a veteran role on a young, struggling team.

Knowing his market was limited, the Bulls should've pulled the trigger on a deal to unload his salary even if the return wasn't eye-popping. The Bulls will now be stuck holding the bag.

Additionally, LaVine’s injury return timeline of 4-6 months puts him out of commission until August when training camp commences. Alas, teams may be hesitant to make a move over the summer.

This scenario is just another failure of the Bulls' continuity strategy. If they're serious about becoming a legitimate NBA contender anytime soon, they'll likely need to unload other pieces of the roster to recoup draft picks and young talent that can help build a winning — not middling — roster.