MINNEAPOLIS – It could have easily been a goodbye with a middle finger for former guard Zach LaVine, especially with what had built into a lot of mistrust by the two-time All-Star and the Bulls front office at this time last season.
Meeting with the Sacramento media after his Sunday trade from the Bulls, however, it was obvious just how much LaVine really has changed his outlook on life on and off the basketball court.
“There’s no bad blood,” LaVine told the Kings media Wednesday afternoon. “I got traded early on in my career and it hit me to that side of the game, but now you control what you can. I was taking my son on a walk when I got the call from (agent) Rich (Paul), and I was extremely excited. I appreciate everything and my time in Chicago but now that I’m here it’s time to take my career to the next step and continue that along. It’s always great to be in a place that you are wanted and not everyone has an opportunity to have that, so I’m very thankful.”
LaVine left behind a lot of teammates that were also thankful. Thankful for the time they got to spend with him. Whether it was Nikola Vucevic talking about how welcoming LaVine was when the Bulls first acquired the big man from Orlando, even giving him the name of his realtor.
Matas Buzelis talked about how LaVine was a mentor, even recently helping him put some dunks together for the NBA All-Star Dunk Contest that the rookie will participate in.
And then there’s Coby White who was admittedly “shocked and sad” when the news of the three-way trade between the Spurs, Kings and Bulls broke.
“We found out when we landed (from Detroit),” White said. “Especially the year he was having. We all felt for him, felt sadness, because this was home for him. He gave his all to the city.”
And now LaVine sounds like a guy ready to give his all to a new city, and for a team that he’s hoping can take him to a place where he’s playing meaningful games in April and May.
“Everybody has to play the cards that they’re dealt,” LaVine said. “The situation that you’re in, the team that you play for, I always put my best foot forward and try to do everything I can to help the team. Are you always going to be able to? No, but for me now in my 11th year, being in one playoff series, you want to try and challenge yourself to get there. You want to go out there and compete for championships, you want to be in big games.”
Three men out
Newly acquired Kevin Huerter, Zach Collins and Tre Jones were with the team in Minnesota, on the bench during the game, and still in limbo as the 2 p.m. (CT) Thursday NBA trade deadline draws near.
They all fully understood the situation – that they could still be moved – and didn’t really need an explanation from Billy Donovan on what’s going on.
“I think the thing about it is there are probably certain players around the league that are off the table so to speak, but during this time there’s always a little uncertainty for a lot of guys,” the coach said. “From my perspective, they’re here, they’re part of the team until something changes. I think they have been around long enough where they understand that, but I have not had that conversation with them where, ‘Hey, I don’t know what’s going to happen, we’ll see.’ It’s been more about trying to acclimate them to what we’re doing.”