Chicago Bulls: Zach LaVine, Buddy Hield face similar problems

They met in the first round of the 3-Point Contest, and Chicago Bulls shooting guard Zach Lavine and Buddy Hield share some similar problems this year.

In the 3-Point Contest during the festivities of NBA All-Star Weekend 2020 hosted at the home of the Chicago Bulls, the United Center, there were multiple players that came from bad teams into a better spotlight. Two of the players that were competing in the festivities of All-Star Weekend that are coming from bad teams are Bulls shooting guard Zach LaVine and Sacramento Kings shooting guard Buddy Hield.

Two solid performances of the 3-Point Contests on Feb. 15 came from Hield and LaVine. Although he was eliminated in the first round of the competition, LaVine had a good outing with 23 points. Hield ultimately won the event, with close call over the likes of Washington Wizards power forward Davis Bertans, Phoenix Suns shooting guard Devin Booker, and the defending champion Joe Harris.

LaVine passing up on participating alongside Orlando Magic forward Aaron Gordon and Miami Heat guard Derrick Jones Jr. in the Slam Dunk Contest stunk, but he did fair pretty well in the 3-Point Contest. There were a lot of highlight dunks in this year’s contest. Even Dwight Howard and Pat Connaughton had a good showing in the Slam Dunk Contest.

However, the Bulls had to be hoping that LaVine get further than he did in the 3-Point Contest. John Paxson and Gar Forman didn’t have all that much to brag about, if anything at all, heading into All-Star Weekend. The Bulls sat with a record of 19-36 heading into the All-Star Weekend festivities, good for 10th place in the Eastern Conference standings.

The storylines for the 3-Point Contest should extend beyond the various events of All-Star Weekend since two of the players partaking find themselves in similar difficult situations. LaVine is trying to do too much with the Bulls this season, and his breakthrough season has largely gone to no avail so far.

Hield is in an even worse position with the Kings at the moment. The 27-year-old former Oklahoma Sooners sharpshooter has gone without starting in 10 of the games he played in this season, and his efficiency is down from where it was last year. There could even be a Hield trade request looming on the horizon if the Kings don’t get him into a more beneficial role by season’s end.

The bad news for the Kings is they just signed Hield to a lengthy contract extension. His price tag isn’t all that bad, starting at less than $20 million per year, but he’s expensive if they’re not going to make him a key starter during their rebuild.

LaVine is going to start in every game that he possibly can for head coach Jim Boylen and the Bulls. But the Bulls definitely aren’t getting the best usage out of LaVine and his unique skill set as they could this season. LaVine is scoring at a career-best pace, better than 25 points per game, and he’s more efficient in the process.

The problem for the Bulls is that LaVine isn’t getting much help. Since power forward Lauri Markkanen is currently dealing with a pelvic injury and center Wendell Carter Jr. is out with an ankle sprain, LaVine is really the only core part of this rebuild that is healthy and productive right now.

So far this season, LaVine is averaging 25.3 points per game, 4.8 rebounds, and 4.1 assists, while shooting 44.8 percent from the field and 38.5 percent from three-point range. He’s also got a player efficiency rating of 19.9 and 4.2 win shares on the season.

Meanwhile, Hield is averaging 20.4 points per game, 5.0 rebounds, and 3.2 assists, while shooting 43.1 percent from the field and 38.5 percent from beyond the arc. Hield also has a player efficiency rating of 16.0 and 2.6 win shares on the season.

Notice some similarities between those two stat lines?

LaVine and Hield are both shooting well from the field so far this season, and scoring at a good rate. Although Hield’s usage rate is about five percent lower than LaVine and he’s got less total minutes on the floor this season, both players are having similar successes and are facing similar hurdles with their respective teams.

The Bulls are facing a lot of scrutiny right now, as are the Kings. The Kings might be the most dysfunctional organization in the Western Conference, and the Bulls likely only trail the New York Knicks for that unfortunate crown in the East.

Hield at least won the 3-Point Contest this year, which is a positive note in the midst of a rough season in Sacramento. He showed out as one of the better shooters in the NBA last season, but took a dip in his shooting percentages this year.