Chicago Bulls: 3 Players that need to step up in Zach LaVine’s absence

The Chicago Bulls can’t catch a break right now. As their on-court struggles continue, they’ve been dealt another blow in the form of all-star guard Zach LaVine entering the NBA’s health and safety protocols.

Adrian Wojnarowski broke the news and added that LaVine is expected to miss multiple games. The timing is absolutely brutal as the Bulls have been seeing their lead for the tenth spot in the Eastern Conference shrink in recent weeks.

LaVine was in the midst of by far his best NBA season and had taken over as the face of the Bulls franchise. While many have already decided this is the nail in the coffin for the Bulls season, I don’t think that’s necessarily true.

Even if he does miss a handful of games, the Bulls are more talented than they’ve shown in recent games. If certain players step up like they are capable of doing, the Bulls could absolutely stay alive in the battle for the 10th seed.

Chicago Bulls that need to step up: Thaddeus Young

Thaddeus Young has bounced back from last season in a big way, though recently his minutes have been down and we haven’t really figured out why. There is a major issue if his minutes remain low in the absence of LaVine, as Young is one of the Bulls that needs to step up to fill the void.

Not only is he a veteran that does a bit of everything on the floor, but he’s also the team’s third-leading scorer since the NBA trade deadline. He is going to need to contribute more than the 12.4 points per game he has averaged over the last 11 games, but it’s mandatory for the Bulls to overcome this loss.

He is also third on the team in assists in that span. Remove LaVine and he is second. Thaddeus Young will need to show the Bulls why it’s always useful to have a savvy veteran like he is on the roster.

His minutes will need to go up, and the hope is he is capable of that. We simply do not know why they have been down in recent games.