Bulls' LaVine to miss season opener vs. Heat

Chicago Bulls defender Zach LaVine volition miss the team's regular play opener against the Miami Heat connected Wednesday nighttime with near genu wounded management, according to Bulls PR.

LaVine told reporters aft shootaround connected Wednesday greeting successful Miami that his lack was not tied to immoderate circumstantial setback, but tied to load absorption for his knee.

He was not definite of his presumption for Friday's crippled against the Washington Wizards, the beforehand extremity of a back-to-back earlier the team's location opener against the Cleveland Cavaliers connected Saturday.

LaVine, who signed a five-year, $215 cardinal max declaration this offseason, played done lingering soreness successful his genu during the 2nd fractional of the 2021-22 play earlier undergoing arthroscopic genu country successful May. However, some helium and the Bulls person continually expressed assurance successful his wellness from the commencement of grooming campy and LaVine played successful the team's archetypal 3 preseason games, averaging 21.8 minutes per crippled earlier sitting retired the finale.

As precocious arsenic aft signifier Friday, LaVine erstwhile again reiterated assurance successful his wellness exiting the preseason.

"I conscionable consciousness good," helium said then. "I deliberation that's been the main happening is not having immoderate aches and pains and being capable to spell retired determination and truly play without limitations successful my ain mind....I'm conscionable blessed I consciousness better."

LaVine has made the All-Star squad the past 2 seasons and averaged 24.4 points connected 47.6% shooting successful 67 games past season. The Bulls are already without constituent defender Lonzo Ball to statesman the play portion helium recovers from genu surgery adjacent the commencement of grooming camp.