Zach LaVine Thinks Rumors About Bulls Practice 'Got Blown out of Proportion'

Chicago Bulls guard Zach LaVine believes recent reports regarding turmoil within the team have been overblown.

Speaking to the media prior to the Bulls' game against the Orlando Magic in Mexico City on Thursday, LaVine said: "I think everything got blown out of proportion, but we are in a good state, the team is good and we are all together. Always going on the road ... in a different country where we can all be together is good because we can bond. I think it's going to be a good time here."

Per ESPN.com's Malika Andrews and Ramona Shelburne, Bulls players discussed skipping Sunday's practice out of frustration of head coach Jim Boylen's handling of the team's 56-point loss to the Boston Celtics on Saturday.

Instead, they held a players-only meeting followed by a meeting that also included Boylen, executive vice president John Paxson and general manager Gar Forman.

Also, LaVine had a one-on-one meeting with Boylan.

With regard to the meeting, LaVine told Andrews and Shelburne: "You just want to be real with people. There shouldn't be any clouds. I think of myself as one of the leaders on the team. I just wanted to voice my opinion to them. This is a business; this isn't a dictatorship. We are all grown men, so everybody has a voice."

Boylen was named the Bulls' new head coach after the firing of Fred Hoiberg on Dec. 3.

This season has been a major struggle for the Bulls, as they sit last in the Eastern Conference at 6-22, behind the likes of the Cleveland Cavaliers and Atlanta Hawks.

LaVine has been a bright spot offensively with averages of 23.8 points, 4.9 rebounds and 4.8 assists per game, but key injuries—Kris Dunn, Lauri Markkanen, Bobby Portis, Denzel Valentine—and inexperience have doomed the Bulls so far.