For most of his days with the Chicago Bulls, Zach LaVine embraced a leadership role. He was the team's leading scorer and, undeniably, the most skilled, though that didn't always translate into winning games.
LaVine didn't always see eye to eye with coach Billy Donovan or the organization. It was a tale as old as time: A young, up-and-coming star wanted to compete at the highest level, but was stuck in a team that wasn't as ready to win as he was.
Ultimately, once it finally became unsustainable, the Bulls pulled the plug and sent him to the Sacramento Kings in a three-team trade. That gave him a chance to ultimately opt out of his contract and play for a contender, but it looks like he has different plans.
Zach LaVine's desire to win may have wavered after leaving the Bulls
The Kings are one of the worst teams and worst-run organizations in professional sports. However, instead of leaving, LaVine picked up his $49 million player option for next season, even knowing they wouldn't buy him out.
They waived DeMar DeRozan, doing right by him and giving him an opportunity to pursue a championship elsewhere. As for LaVine, it looks like winning and competing for a ring might no longer be at the top of his priority list.
Granted, not many people would leave $49 million on the table. LaVine's big contract was an obvious mistake from day one, and he was borderline untradable for most of his time with the team. He knows no one will offer him anything close to that again, though he can still make more money with a long-term deal.
While no one can judge how anyone puts bread on the table or judge someone else's finances, it's impossible to say with a straight face that LaVine honestly thinks he can win a ring in Sacramento. At least not with the current roster construction. So, was it all for show? Was it just that he wanted to leave Chicago?
At the end of the day, LaVine gave the Bulls Kevin Huerter, Zach Collins, Tre Jones, and the pick they used to get Noa Essengue. That was way more useful than all the empty-calorie scoring numbers he put up at United Center while also pouting on the sidelines and drawing negative media attention.
Now, he's found out that the grass isn't always greener on the other side, and he has to settle for big bucks because he's not coming anywhere close to the Larry O'Brien trophy any time soon. At least not before the Bulls.
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