Franchise cornerstones for the Chicago Bulls No. 3: Zach LaVine
By far the most proficient Bulls player through around half of the regular season thus far is the 25-year-old star shooting guard Zach LaVine. The Bulls would not be in the position where they are now without the supreme efforts of the former UCLA Bruin LaVine this season. He is taking this entire team to a new level with him thus far.
It’s hard to fault any of the efforts that LaVine has given for the Bulls. In the March 16 win over the Thunder, LaVine had a 40-point outburst that was both a game-high and his best outing since the All-Star Break. He gave the Bulls exactly what they needed against a decent team out of the Western Conference, which also helped push the team’s winning streak to two games.
LaVine has turned into a leader both in terms of his play/production this season and the way he’s helping out the rest of the team rise to the occasion with him.
This version of LaVine that is having yet another career year for the Bulls is something that got him his first career All-Star nod this year. He’s one of the premier scores in the Eastern Conference by averaging nearly 29 points per game, while shooting 53 percent from the field and 44 percent from beyond the arc.
The play on the defensive end has continued to be more of a net neutral than a detriment for the Bulls when LaVine is out on the floor. You’d still like to see the Bulls get him utilizing his gifted physical tools and quickness better on that end of the floor, though.
All in all, LaVine is the most integral piece to the Bulls success and that clearly makes him a cornerstone for this core right now.