Report: Bulls' Zach LaVine Has Ligament Tear in Thumb; Plans to Play Through Injury

Chicago Bulls shooting guard Zach LaVine reportedly suffered a small ligament tear in the thumb on his left, non-shooting hand, but he is planning to play through the injury.

Shams Charania of Stadium and The Athletic reported the news Wednesday, noting it's a "matter of pain tolerance" for the 2021 All-Star.

It's unclear when LaVine suffered the injury, but the 26-year-old UCLA product is off to a terrific start to the 2021-22 season for the undefeated Bulls (4-0). He's averaged 25.5 points, 5.3 rebounds, 4.8 assists and 3.0 threes while shooting 50.0 percent from the field, including 44.4 percent from beyond the arc.

The hot start is a promising sign for a Chicago squad that performed below expectations last season, finishing with a 31-41 record that left it two games short of the play-in tournament.

"This ain't last year," LaVine told reporters after a season-opening win over the Detroit Pistons. "We're looking forward now. It's a whole new team and a whole new mindset. Excited that we grinded that one out, and a win is a win."

The Bulls front office upgraded the roster around LaVine and center Nikola Vucevic in the offseason with a group of additions led by DeMar DeRozan, Lonzo Ball and Alex Caruso.

Those players have helped take pressure off the two-time Slam Dunk Contest champion.

DeRozan is a proven offensive weapon who attracts defensive attention on the wing, Ball is a quality distributor who can run the offense, and Caruso is a high-end defender who can guard the opponent's top backcourt scorer.

The roster is more balanced, and LaVine doesn't face the nightly responsibility of trying to carry the team on his back.

The Bulls play four games in a seven-day stretch starting Thursday against the New York Knicks. How the guard's thumb holds up during that busy period should be a good indicator of whether he can play through the injury for the long haul.

Javonte Green and Ayo Dosunmu are among the backcourt players who will likely see more playing time if LaVine sits out games to rest the thumb.