Zach LaVine is getting closer to making his Chicago Bulls debut. It has been nine months since Zach LaVine tore his ACL. The knee injury took place last February (courtesy of ESPN ). LaVine was part of an NBA trade (courtesy of NBA.com ) involving Jimmy Butler going to the Minnesota Timberwolves.
The athletic LaVine has a couple of hurdles to clear before he can actually play in an NBA game, but he is not far off. His Bulls premiere could come in a few weeks.
Zach LaVine getting close to game shape will come at a good time for the Chicago Bulls, who want to evaluate him as one of the future faces of their franchise. The Bulls will get an update on LaVine’s health status on Monday.
According to Dime Magazine , Zach LaVine will meet with his doctors in an effort to see if he can be cleared to practice with contact. If the doctors clear LaVine, he can begin participating in full-contact drills.
Those events where Zach LaVine may be able to practice will likely take place within the next 10 days. The Bulls start a four-game west coast road this Sunday versus the Phoenix Suns. The Golden State Warriors are the final team on the Bulls’ trip. That game is November 26.
Whether or not the Chicago Bulls conduct a full practice while they are on the road remains to be seen. There will at least be some shoot-arounds that will take place. If the doctors do clear Zach LaVine, it is a certainty that he will be a participant in the shooting drills.
Zach LaVine getting cleared to practice is the next step towards his knee rehab. If LaVine is successful getting over that obstacle, his Chicago Bulls debut could happen in mid-December.
Getting Zach LaVine on the basketball court would come at a good time for the Chicago Bulls. The Bulls are in the midst of rebuilding and could use every player they can find to be a future fixture as they seek a return to prominence. How Zach LaVine recovers from his knee injury will go a long way in helping the Bulls determine what additional players they will need going forward.
Before tearing his ACL, Zach LaVine scored in bunches, completely based off of his athleticism. Zach LaVine’s outside shooting touch was rounding into form just before the injury occurred.
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One of Zach LaVine’s accolades from last season was when he amassed his career-high in three-point makes, with seven in one game. Offensively, LaVine has all the talent necessary to help the Chicago Bulls. Whether Zach LaVine lost any of his quickness remains a mystery.
That quickness and explosiveness helps matters on the defensive side of the basketball. The Bulls will be asking Zach LaVine to do more, including rebound and exploit the opposing teams passing lanes. Each skill requires quickness and explosive abilities.
Chicago Bulls fans will soon find out what type of player they received in the blockbuster trade with the Minnesota Timberwolves. Zach LaVine comes with a lot of hype and promise. How soon those things come to fruition will be decided by Zach LaVine’s doctors. The Chicago Bulls are hoping that happens sooner rather than later.
[Featured Image by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images]
