How can Zach LaVine reacquaint, reinvent himself with the Bulls?

Zach LaVine took the high road.

It’s been a rocky few months for LaVine’s reputation. After the Chicago Bulls stumbled to a 5-14 start last season, LaVine suffered a foot injury that sidelined him for 17 games. During that stretch, the Bulls found their rhythm, going 10-7 and salvaging their season.

Through it all, trade rumors have swirled. Dating back to the offseason ahead of the 2023-24 season, LaVine was rumored to be on the block. When LaVine’s representation suggested there was an openness to find a new home, it seemed that the end of LaVine’s tenure in Chicago might soon come to an end.

But nearly a year later, LaVine remains a Bull.

So rather than get testy with the imminent prodding from the media about his situation, LaVine opened his Media Day commentary with a mature, thoughtful and honest statement addressing the elephant in the room.

“When you go through a long offseason like I have, you get to learn a lot about yourself and the company you keep,” LaVine said. “With everything that I learned, there’s times you need to speak and there’s times that you don’t…Whenever there’s something that needs to be said it will come from Zach LaVine or my representation. There were a lot of thoughts and rumors and opinions about me, about the organization, so just know that whenever it needs to come from me or them, you’ll know it will be from them. …Everything else you can take with a grain of salt. Anything negative that would try to pin me, the organization — rumors, drama, whatever it is — I’ll leave that in the past.”

LaVine could easily let this situation become a distraction — or worse, a detraction. The Bulls are trying to build their next good team on the fly, a team that likely won’t end up including LaVine. He might think it best to help himself by playing selfishly, hoping to remind the league of his 25-point-per-game potential in an attempt to entice any trade suitor to come after him.

Instead, he chose a different path.

“I’m focusing a lot on this camp right now, going forward, this team, helping, learning, and just having a good time,” LaVine said. “I think that’s something that’s not talked about enough: you need to have good energy, only give into that. I don’t want to keep talking about the past or anything because there’s a lot of things I can’t speak on. There’s no reason to.”

He went on to reflect on his commitment to the Bulls and the respect he’s shown the organization.

“I had a conversation when I first committed to the Bulls and signed my deal here with Michael (Reinsdorf), with Jerry (Reinsdorf), AK (Arturas Karnisovas), the front office, the commitment they gave me, the respect they gave me. I’m going to continue to give them that same respect, not just with the way I play, but with my professionalism. That won’t waiver. That’s something I stand on.”

LaVine’s comments set the tone for how he plans to handle the ongoing trade speculation. Now, it’s up to him to demonstrate how he’ll make the most of his situation on the court. His return to form hinges on one critical factor: staying healthy and focusing on basketball.

“When you’re able to play basketball, a lot of that stuff goes away,” he said. “Last year, unfortunately, I got hurt, and you can’t play anymore. When that’s taken away from you, there’s not a lot you can do besides sit there and try to get healthy. Just coming back, being able to be ready for camp, it’s going to take care of itself.”

After enduring months of trade rumors and whispers questioning his character, LaVine now has the chance to remind the league who he is — in a way that benefits both him and the Bulls.

“I mean everybody uses fuel and motivation differently. I always have a chip on my shoulder. I’ve played that way since I was 12 years old. I think not just for me, but for us, we’ve got a lot to prove. When people doubt you, you get a little satisfaction by shutting people up. That’s a mentality we can take moving forward.”

As things stand, LaVine remains in Chicago, even as the Bulls seem to be planning for a future without him. His role may change, and expectations will certainly shift.

But through it all, LaVine is saying all the right things.

“I’m very happy to be back here, extremely happy to be back here in training camp,” he said. “It’s been a long summer. (I’m) fully healthy. I’m excited to come back here and compete.”

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