Bulls’ ‘frustrated’ Zach LaVine dodges trade talk

CHICAGO — Bulls guard Zach LaVine admitted to being frustrated by Chicago’s 4-7 start to the 2023-24 season but dodged a question about whether he wants to be traded elsewhere.

“Right now is not the time to really talk about that,” LaVine said after shootaround Wednesday morning. “Play the Orlando Magic tonight, try and get a win. If something comes out later on, that will be the time I talk about it.”

The Bulls entered the season with postseason expectations after bringing back nearly their entire roster from last year, but they have struggled out of the gate both offensively, where they rank 21st in the NBA in offensive efficiency per NBA.com, and defensively, where they rank 22nd.

Chicago is in its third season with a roster built around the core of LaVine, DeMar DeRozan and Nikola Vucevic, which produced a first-round exit in 2022, lost in the play-in tournament last season and now has started slow this season.

“I’m frustrated we’re not winning,” LaVine said Wednesday. “I think if you’re not frustrated, that’s a problem. It’s an upsetting thing when we’ve been trying to do the right thing for the last three or four years. It seems like we’re in the same place. We’re trying to get over that hump.”

LaVine has been the subject of trade rumors throughout his NBA career, including this past summer when ESPN reported rival teams checked in with the Bulls about his availability. However, LaVine has normally responded by shooting down such speculation, including during training camp when he told ESPN “my camp isn’t putting them out. I committed to the Bulls when I signed my five-year deal.”

He took a different tact Wednesday morning.

“That’s why I have representatives like Rich Paul,” LaVine said referring to his agent. “If he speaks on my behalf, that’s my agent. That’s who I obviously have my camp with. They talk to Arturas [Karnisovas] and them. My job is to go out here and play. Simple as that.”