Bulls' star Zach LaVine says he helped recruit the team's $82 million free agent to form the NBA's 'best duo'
- Zach LaVine and DeMar DeRozan have become one of the NBA's best duos on the Bulls.
- LaVine told Insider he recruited DeRozan, knowing they could make things work by sacrificing.
Zach LaVine knew he would have to sacrifice if DeMar DeRozan came to the Chicago Bulls, but he wanted him anyway.
"I want my team to be good," LaVine told Insider while promoting Klarna from their "Klarna All-Star Vault" activation in Cleveland. "As long as we're doing good, that's all I care about."
Last summer, the Bulls pulled off a pricey sign-and-trade to land DeRozan and add another high-level scorer to their team. The Bulls were mocked for giving the 32-year-old DeRozan a three-year, $82 million contract while handing over three draft picks to the San Antonio Spurs in exchange. Still, the move has paid off as DeRozan was an All-Star starter this season, averaging a career-high in points, while the Bulls are tied for 1st place in the East at 38-21.
LaVine said he even got in on the recruiting of DeRozan.
"I was involved with talking to DeMar," LaVine said. "We got together and talked about how it was going work and how we were able to try to lead this Bull team back to where we see it. And DeMar has been great."
LaVine recently boasted that he and DeRozan are the "best duo in the NBA." The two All-Stars are averaging a combined 52 points and 9 assists per game.
The adjustment has seemed flawless, particularly in late-game situations. While LaVine was the closer for the Bulls last season, DeRozan has largely taken on that role and thrived. DeRozan had back-to-back game-winners this season and has already scored 114 points on 54% shooting in "clutch" situations this year — what the NBA defines as a five-point game in the final five minutes of a game.
"I think it just comes down to us both knowing that we wanna win," LaVine said of sharing the load with DeRozan. "Is there games that he's gonna take the last shot or be in charge in the fourth quarter? Yeah. And is there big games that I've done the same thing? We've both been okay with that because our main goal is to win by any means necessary. That's what has to happen for teams to be successful. You have to sacrifice little bit of yourself for the greater good. I think that's what we've done as a collective unit."
The Bulls will be tested after the All-Star break. According to Tankathon, the Bulls have the second hardest schedule remaining in the league, including a stretch where they play the league's top 12 teams in 10 of 15 games.
Still, LaVine is hopeful, as the Bulls have rarely had their entire squad available this year. The lineup of LaVine, DeRozan, Ball, Caruso, and Nikola Vucevic — arguably the Bulls' five best players — has played in just 16 games together this season. Alex Caruso is out with a fractured wrist, Lonzo Ball is out with a meniscus tear, and Patrick Williams has also been out with a wrist injury. LaVine has also missed time with a knee injury this season. Ball and Caruso are expected back this season.
"What's scary is we haven't been healthy since the beginning of the season," LaVine said. "There's been guys in and out the lineup, even dealing with COVID, just like everybody else has, but we're sitting at top of the east right now, tied for first. And we really haven't been a full, healthy unit. I think that's the great part. Once we get everybody back, we can get on track and hit our stride, hopefully going into the playoffs. So I'm extremely excited."