Why Chicago Bulls star Zach LaVine can win MVP: Finally has a winning supporting cast
Executive vice president of basketball operations Arturas Karnisovas and general manager Marc Eversley adding the likes of DeRozan from the San Antonio Spurs, point guard Lonzo Ball from the New Orleans Pelicans, etc. during the offseason gives LaVine his first real shot to win at a high level. LaVine has yet to have a winning season in seven tries in his career to date.
The first time that Lavine really experienced winning in any meaningful sort of professional basketball competition came with the United States men’s basketball team at the Summer Olympic Games in Tokyo, Japan, a few months ago.
But LaVine was able to get the first NBA four-game winning streak of his career this month after the Bulls took care of business against the Raptors on the road on Oct. 25.
Not only does LaVine have a better supporting cast to help the Bulls find more success in the win column, it could bolster his play individually on both ends of the floor. He’s got more players that can hold their own on defense that can be paired with him, like Lonzo and former Los Angeles Lakers point guard Alex Caruso.
And since the trade deadline last season, the Bulls have added more pieces to help space the floor around LaVine such as former Orlando Magic star center Nikola Vucevic. LaVine should now have more room to create his own looks, get open shots, and to pick up steals with chaos going on around him on defense.
More so than anything else, this improved supporting cast playing around LaVine this season can help him to shake that image of a stat-sheet filler and empty scorer around the league.