The first basket was a dunk.
Free and easy from a fully healthy Zach LaVine, and a glimpse of what was to come in the Bulls’ eventual preseason loss to the visiting Grizzlies on Saturday.
Less than 30 seconds later, a pull-up three-pointer. A few minutes later, another three. Again, each jumper a smooth work of art from the Bulls guard.
And possibly the best sign to come out of this preseason so far.
LaVine has always been a bucket as soon as he stepped on the hardwood. It’s been more rough landing the past few seasons, however, whether it was a sore knee or a bad foot that eventually required surgery last year. This fall camp was as healthy as LaVine has felt since the 2021-22 campaign began, and it shows.
The latest evidence of that was a 28-point performance against Memphis on 9-of-12 shooting and done in just over 22 minutes of work. More promising, it came with LaVine not needing the ball in his hands and bringing it up the floor.
“I’m getting my points off the ball like I normally do,” LaVine said of his outing. “With Josh (Giddey), Coby (White) and Ayo (Dosunmu), the way they push the ball we’ll be able to create for each other. I’m more than fine getting shots off the ball. I like those stress-free shots.”
So do the Bulls.
LaVine still registered four assists and only one turnover. He hasn’t always been the best decision maker when he does try and take the play-making lead role, so the fact that he’s a willing passenger was another sign of his mentality to be a team-guy first.
Hopefully, the rest of the league is taking note.
LaVine entered this season as the ultimate reclamation project. One that also happens to cost a guaranteed $138 million over the next three years. He has swirled in trade talks for two-plus seasons, and that’s not about to stop. But a LaVine that is back to All-Star-caliber play? Maybe, just maybe, an easier asset to move.
Not the only good to come out of camp with just one week left before the games actually count.
The Good
King Julian: Second-year forward Julian Phillips spent the summer recovering from a sprained foot injury and getting up three-pointers. He went 1-of-3 from long range in the win over Cleveland in the preseason opener, but followed that up with a 5-of-8 performance from three on Saturday.
If Phillips continues to impress, he could become a key rotation piece that also adds rebounding and defense off the bench.
Hometown kid: Ayo Dosunmu saw his night cut short because of a shoulder stinger, but he continues to be emerging as the best backcourt defender and a threat on the offensive end. Last year’s three-year, $21 million extension might prove to be a steal.
The Bad
It’s Pat: Patrick Williams gets a bit of slack because he is coming off foot surgery that ended his 2023-24 season early, but so far he’s been very shaky on the offensive end, a combined 3-for-15 from the field in two games.
The Bulls invested $90 million over the next five years in Williams, hoping he was set to make a jump in Year 5, but he remains very underwhelming so far.
No Joshing: The knock on acquiring Josh Giddey for Alex Caruso back in July was the Bulls would lose elite defense on the floor, but also three-point shooting. Caruso shot 40.8% from three last season, while Giddey was at 33.7%.
Through two preseason games, opposing defenses are not even closing out on Giddey from long range, giving him the Ben Simmons treatment. He shot 0-for-3 from beyond the line in the Cleveland game — that included an airball — and went 1-for-4 on Saturday.