The Chicago Bulls are struggling on the court and are also dealing with a disconnect between Zach LaVine and DeMar DeRozan.
The Bulls have held multiple team meetings and also one-on-one, face-to-face sit-downs between LaVine and DeRozan. The two players maintain a good personal relationship with the issues being on the floor.
Their meetings have not led to improved in-game results for the Bulls.
“I think everybody goes through ups and downs, just like every team does,” LaVine told The Athletic on Tuesday when asked about the matter. “Obviously if we’re not winning games, not everybody’s going to be happy. It’s not going to look as good as it was before. It’s all glitter and show when you’re winning games. But when you’re losing games and you’re trying to do the same things it’s turmoil. Everybody has their right to their own opinion. For me, I keep my head down. I work on my game and try to help my team. I help try to lead the team. That’s where I stand. I just try to take it day by day and evaluate how we’re doing.”
LaVine and the Bulls have also had a larger disconnect across various parts of the franchise. LaVine re-signed with the Bulls this past offseason on a five-year, $215 million max deal.
“There’s a certain level of frustration in people trying to figure out what we can do to help right the ship,” LaVine told The Athletic. “I think with the players that we have, we try to put it on each other to right the ship. We have those type of guys, those type of mentalities where each of us have been number one options on a team before and then we all come together collectively. It’s not going to take one person. It’s going to take all of us as a unit. I think that’s what guys are trying to figure out how to help the group.”