NBA season preview: 5 big questions for the Chicago Bulls
By John Hugar
5. How far can Zach LaVine take the Chicago Bulls?
Since arriving in Chicago, LaVine has gradually improved each season, finally earning his first All-Star nod in 2020-21. In addition to being one of the game’s most exciting dunkers, LaVine has evolved into a highly efficient scorer, putting up a shooting line of 51/42/85 last season. But while LaVine has played well, the Bulls have nonetheless failed to reach the playoffs in his four seasons in Chicago. I
t would be hard to pin this on LaVine because he hasn’t exactly had the strongest of supporting casts. Now, however, he has quite possibly the best roster he’s ever played with, and the expectation is that the Bulls should make the playoffs in 2021-22.
With LaVine as their best player, the question becomes whether his excellent stats can finally start translating into wins. Can he lead a deep playoff run like Trae Young just did for the Hawks, and break into super-stardom? This is his best chance. We know how good Lavine is individually, now is where we see if he’s the type of player who makes his teammates better.