4. How healthy is Zach LaVine going to be entering camp?
Shortly after the Bulls made the deal with the Timberwolves that brought Kris Dunn, a pick that ended up being Lauri Markkanen and Zach LaVine to Chicago, one of the big questions asked was whether or not LaVine would start the season on the hardwood or in a suit.
LaVine, who tore his the ACL in his left knee back in February during a game against the Detroit Pistons for the Timberwolves, is reportedly ahead of schedule and from the looks of LaVine’s Instagram account, the strength in his knee is coming back.
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Based off the calendar itself, the time from LaVine’s ACL tear (Feb. 3) to the season opener for the Bulls on Oct. 19 marks a little over eight months since his injury. Most ACL recovery times last 8-12 months, so there is a possibility that LaVine could suit up and actually play to start the season.
However, it doesn’t sound like GarPax want to take any chances and LaVine won’t be rushed back in any way to make his Bulls debut. They would be smart to take their time with LaVine. He’s the key piece to the Butler trade for the Bulls.
Before the knee injury, LaVine was averaging almost 19 points a contest for the Timberwolves and shooting at a strong clip of 38.7 percent from 3-point range. With the Dwyane Wade situation and a potential buyout coming at some point (more on this later), LaVine will be stepping into the starting two-guard role once he’s fully healthy in what’s basically a contract year for him.