There’s little that Bulls coach Billy Donovan has shied away from in the question-and-answer department with the media through the years.
Transparency has never been a problem for Donovan.
But these are sensitive times for an organization that is lost in a storm with a first mate who wants to jump ship.
So when Zach LaVine’s postgame incident from Saturday was brought up, Donovan chose his words carefully.
“The only thing I’ll say about it is it’s been handled internally, it’s been discussed internally,’’ Donovan said Monday. “I don’t want to get into what those conversations are or what happened, but it’s certainly been addressed.’’
After the 21-point comeback victory against the Heat, LaVine was caught on camera storming toward the tunnel and into the locker room while the rest of his teammates were celebrating on the court.
It only got worse when LaVine angrily pulled his arm away from public-relations director Beth Esler as she was trying to get him to do the postgame interview with NBC Sports Chicago.
Donovan and the front office were immediately made aware, and the situation angered Donovan.
LaVine was asked about it after the game and said, “Just a miscommunication with the PR team. We’re all fine.’’
They actually weren’t until a few days later when LaVine apologized.
Donovan wouldn’t divulge what actions the team took, but he seemed fine with the resolution.
LaVine and the PR department have always maintained a good relationship, and that’s why his reaction seemed so out of character.
But again, these are sensitive times.
“I didn’t see it in real time. Obviously, I heard about it,’’ Donovan said. “The first thing I would say is me being here from the time I’ve been here, I really think we have quality people, like, really good people. And that goes from players to medical to PR. I think they’re all great people to work with. My thing is, I want everybody to treat each other with respect and class and help each other to do their job.
“Whether it’s our coaching staff with the cleaning people that are coming into the building at 5 in the morning to clean the place up or whether it’s the people in the kitchen that are cooking meals for our staff. Whoever it is, whenever we’re in that building, everybody is doing a job, and you want everyone treated well, even more so with everyone trying to help them do their job. You can make the job easier for somebody.’’
The other factor in all this, however, is if LaVine even wants to be here any longer.
He didn’t deny the mutual interest in moving him, so was this a case of a guy trying to push that trade into action quicker?
Donovan didn’t think so. At least he’s not seeing that type of player in the locker room and on the court.
“I didn’t see anything different from him in that locker room when he sat there [after the game],’’ Donovan said. “I didn’t get a guy that was not in the locker room or in a different room, upset, pouty, turned around, whatever. I talked to him after the game; he talked to players after the game. I saw a normal Zach in there.
“I see a guy on the floor that’s trying to win.’’
