Zach LaVine: I'll 'Play My Heart Out' for Bulls as Long as I'm Here amid Trade Rumors

Zach LaVine's commitment to the Chicago Bulls isn't waning despite his continued presence in NBA trade rumors.

"Am I still a part of this team and very committed? Yeah. I got a Bulls jersey on," he told reporters Thursday. "I committed here. For as long as I'll be here, I'll still support and love Chicago and play my heart out for those guys (teammates). That's never going to change."

The two-time All-Star expressed a similar sentiment before the season tipped off, explaining that the rumors weren't indicative of his mindset.

"My camp isn't putting them out," he said to ESPN's Jamal Collier. "I committed to the Bulls when I signed my five-year deal. So until I'm not, I'm committed to the Bulls. I've always brought professionalism and consistent play, and that's what I'll continue to do."

According to NBC Sports Chicago's K.C. Johnson, LaVine is "well aware that the Bulls tried to trade him last summer, and he's also grown tired of the internal debate within the organization that he can be a lead player on a championship-contending team."

Chicago's 8-14 start has only fueled belief in the eyes of some fans that the front office needs to start dismantling the current core, which would include LaVine.

The trouble for him and the Bulls is that any deal looks unlikely at the moment.

ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski reported on Dec. 1 that "there is not a market for Zach LaVine right now," citing the $138 million he's owed over the next three years along with the longstanding questions over his on-court value.

LaVine is averaging 24.4 points per game and shooting 38.3 percent from beyond the arc since his 2017 trade to the Bulls. Only once has the team reached the playoffs, though, a trip that ended in a first-round sweep.

A playoff contender is likely to have reservations about his suitability in a role like the one he has occupied in Chicago.

For now, the Bulls' leverage is lessened further thanks to the foot inflammation that's expected to sideline LaVine for three to four weeks.

"Not only does there appear to be minimal interest from rival teams, but they all know the Bulls are looking to part ways with LaVine," The Athletic's Darnell Mayberry reported Thursday. "Overcoming that obstacle in negotiations could be Chicago's biggest challenge."

When it comes to the swirl of speculation surrounding him, the Feb. 8 trade deadline might be the only thing that brings LaVine some respite, and even then it's probably a case of waiting a few months before the rumor mill fires back up again.