Bulls EVP on Zach LaVine Trade Rumors: 'We Expect Him to Be with Us at' Training Camp

Chicago Bulls executive vice president Artūras Karnišovas said he expects Zach LaVine to be with the team when training camp begins in September.

"We expect Zach being fully healthy. And he is healthy. I think he can help this group next year. He's been professional," Karnišovas told reporters Sunday. "Again, he's healthy. We expect him to be with us at the start of training camp."

The Bulls kicked off what will likely be a multiyear rebuilding process this summer, trading Alex Caruso to the Oklahoma City Thunder for Josh Giddey and sending DeMar DeRozan to the Sacramento Kings in a sign-and-trade.

LaVine and center Nikola Vucevic are the odd men out, aging veterans in a rotation that will almost exclusively include players under the age of 25.

Karnišovas would almost certainly love to find a taker for either veteran piece, but neither has much of a trade market at the moment. LaVine has three years and $138 million left on his max deal and is coming off a disappointing, injury-riddled campaign. He averaged just 19.5 points per game, his lowest since 2017-18, during a time when scoring is exploding across the NBA.

Given LaVine's main calling card is his scoring ability, his downturn last season isn't going to have teams lighting up Karnišovas' phone.

Vucevic only has $41.5 million remaining on his contract, which lasts through the 2025-26 season, but he turns 34 in October and has become a severely below-average defensive big. The Bulls can likely stomach keeping Vucevic on for the remainder of his contract, but it wouldn't be a surprise if he sees some interest once the season gets underway.