LOS ANGELES --- Zach LaVine's unexpectedly turbulent season just got rockier.
Speaking before Thursday night's game against the Los Angeles Lakers, Chicago Bulls head coach Billy Donovan said LaVine won't be re-evaluated for another week, which will be two weeks since LaVine sprained his right ankle in Toronto on Jan. 18. The team originally said LaVine would miss one to two weeks.
Now, LaVine won't even be re-evaluated until the two-week mark.
"I think there's a lot going on there for him with the ankle, the foot, everything right now," Donovan said, citing the right foot that previously cost LaVine 17 games. "His foot has definitely flared up. I think the ankle contributed to it. I think he has a lot of discomfort all around. So everything has been impacted by the ankle sprain."
LaVine joined his teammates as a non-participant at Wednesday's practice and also for Thursday's game. But with LaVine possibly out past the two-week mark and the Feb. 8 trade deadline looming, could LaVine have played his last game with the Bulls?
"I have no idea; I really don't," Donovan said. "There's been nothing that I've had communication-wise (with management) as it leads into this trade deadline where it's been like, 'Hey, he's staying here. He's moving him.' So I'd hate to even speculate.
"I'm taking the approach he's going to be with us the entire year. And I hope he can get healthy sooner than later."
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Both LaVine and the Bulls have been motivated to find a new home since LaVine's soft trade request in early November. The market has been dry until a Thursday report in The Athletic, confirmed by NBC Sports Chicago, that the Pistons and Bulls have had talks centered on LaVine.
"I think it's just really frustrating for him," Donovan said. "When you miss the amount of games that he missed and he comes back and starts playing and then sprains his ankle, it's been hard for him to catch a rhythm here for several weeks. I think he wants to play. He loves playing. And it's frustrating for him that he can't play."
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