HOUSTON — It really is a leap of faith for the Bulls.
An unknown that the organization is fully committed to, pass/fail.
There’s a large enough sample size to know that Kris Dunn and Lauri Markkanen can be an effective 1-2 punch. That was on full display through December and into January, while Zach LaVine was returning from rehabbing his surgically repaired left knee.
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But there are three key bricks in the foundation of this rebuild. It’s about how Dunn, Markkanen and LaVine can function together.
No one has the answer to that, and if they say they do, they’re lying.
Because of injuries, the three have played only 12 games together. Even then, LaVine still was feeling his way through the torn anterior cruciate ligament. That’s a concern.
“I really wish we would have had that stretch continue on when we were playing so well [in December and January] and had Zach fully back, but things happen in this league,’’ coach Fred Hoiberg said Wednesday. “You do the best you can under those circumstances, but I don’t think we ever got a true look at what that will look like with a full healthy roster.
“Now we’ve got to be committed to getting it right in the offseason because you have three very talented players that all can do a lot of really interesting things. It’s about getting them all together. All of that work is going to have to be done in the offseason. You’re not going to be able to start it on the first day of training camp. It has to be a commitment from everybody.’’
The focus on that commitment will start with LaVine.
Dunn has said that he’ll work out at the Advocate Center every day. Markkanen doesn’t have a summer of international ball on his schedule as he did last year, so he also should be ready for that commitment.
LaVine is a Los Angeles guy and likes to spend his offseason on the left coast. However, he recognizes that the three need to get this chemistry right.
“You can see the chemistry in small doses,’’ LaVine said. “We do a lot of good things in practice. We’re all workers. That’s the main thing. We’re going to continue to work. We all have a goal ahead for the team and for ourselves. We’re not going to stop until we reach those goals.
“We’ll get parts of the summer together, whether it’s in Chicago or we meet up somewhere like L.A. and all work out together. That’s cool sometimes, all getting away, doing it on our own as well. A little bit of bonding, so I’ll try and organize that. I’ve done that before with some of my other teammates.’’
Good to hear, but actions will speak louder than words.
This offseason is crucial.
When Dunn was sidelined with the concussion, LaVine and Markkanen had a few flash games working together, but it was nowhere near the Dunn-Markkanen look. Too often it actually appeared clunky. That has to change.
“We’re all going to figure out what each of us can do, where we like the ball, where we don’t like the ball, when we’re frustrated from not getting the ball,’’ LaVine said. “We need to figure out our mannerisms. When a guy needs some shots or needs to chill and give up the ball. We figure that out through practice, hard work, playing, but it has to be all together.’’
Because at this point, it’s all or nothing.
