Zach LaVine’s Injury Diagnosed as Sprained AC Joint; Status of Bulls Star vs. Nets TBD | News, scores, highlights, stats and rumors

Chicago Bulls guard Zach LaVine suffered a shoulder injury that has been diagnosed as a sprained left AC joint, according to KC Johnson of Chicago Sports Network.

Johnson noted that LaVine is listed as questionable heading into the Bulls’ game with the Brooklyn Nets on Friday.

The 29-year-old suffered the injury during Chicago’s 102-99 win over the Orlando Magic on Wednesday, but was able to complete the game. X-rays of his shoulder after the game came back negative, according to ESPN’s Jamal Collier.

LaVine finished with a season-low 11 points in the win over Orlando, shooting 2-9 from the field and hitting just one of his four attempts from behind the arc. He managed to pull down ten rebounds and hand out three assists.

Bulls head coach Billy Donovan revealed that he checked with LaVine about his left shoulder at halftime and the two-time All-Star explained that he would play the first five minutes of the third quarter to see if he could finish the game (via Johnson). Donovan didn’t hear from LaVine again for the rest of the game.

Despite his inconsistent performances against the Magic, the 29-year-old has started his 2024-2025 season on a high note. In five appearances, he averaged 23.0 points and 6.4 rebounds per game while shooting 51.3 percent from the field and 43.6 percent on three-pointers.

LaVine’s name has been involved in trade rumors all year, as he was reportedly offered to several opposing organizations during offseason negotiations.

Instead, he stayed with Chicago and helped the team to a 3-2 start to the season. The Bulls are also backed by a strong defense and boast the seventh-best defensive rating in the league (via NBA.com).

While LaVine’s availability against Brooklyn is uncertain, the Bulls will still look to secure their third straight win on Friday. Tip-off is at 7:30 PM ET.