LAS VEGAS — The way Bulls executive vice president Arturas Karnisovas sees it, his push toward a youth movement is ‘‘still not a final product.’’
Karnisovas made that clear when he met with a small group of reporters Sunday.
But he might have a bigger issue on his hands if he can’t make more changes. The product will be both unfinished and possibly ‘‘dysfunctional.’’
According to an NBA source attending Summer League play, not only does Karnisovas want to trade guard Zach LaVine because of the three years and $138 million left on his contract, but also because he is concerned the distrust LaVine has with the front office — and specifically with coach Billy Donovan — might lead to a ‘‘dysfunctional’’ locker room.
When LaVine and Donovan have been asked about their icy relationship the last few seasons, both have downplayed just how bad it is, maintaining public professionalism throughout. But the source said a key buffer between the two, especially as far as LaVine is concerned, was veteran forward DeMar DeRozan. With DeRozan now with the Kings after a sign-and-trade, that buffer is gone.
LaVine, however, isn’t. He’s still with the Bulls. And the talk at Summer League is that while Karnisovas and general manager Marc Eversley continue aggressively talking with teams about moving LaVine, there have been no takers.
Possible landing spots for LaVine with the Kings, Magic, Pistons and Warriors were scuttled by the draft and/or free agency.
That’s why Karnisovas is trying to spin the idea that LaVine returning to the Bulls for the start of training camp isn’t necessarily a bad thing.
‘‘We expect Zach being fully healthy,’’ Karnisovas said. ‘‘I think he can help this group next year. He’s been professional.’’
Well, sort of. He understood how to remain professional because of DeRozan’s presence. That doesn’t mean the players in the locker room haven’t heard LaVine be openly critical of Donovan. He never has gotten over a benching late in the fourth quarter of a loss to the Magic in 2022.
‘‘That’s Billy’s decision; he’s gotta lay with it,’’ LaVine said after that game. ‘‘You play a guy like me down the stretch.’’
And the benching was only the first domino. According to a former teammate, LaVine complained Donovan went out of his way to point out his defensive miscues in film sessions and also would complain about late-game situations and his role in clutch moments.
That would make sense, given that LaVine publicly expressed concern early last season that the Bulls’ offense was getting too predictable in those situations.
So what choices do the Bulls have with LaVine at this point? Not many unless a team has a sudden change of heart. They aren’t going to attach a first-round pick to trade LaVine and have to hope he comes to camp fully healthy and can fake the role of good soldier until the trade deadline next season.
It’s not in LaVine’s makeup to rock the boat, and he is well-liked in the locker room. But what if he decides to be a negative presence in hopes of speeding up his departure?
What the Bulls have on their side in guarding against that scenario is that it only would hurt LaVine’s value and make him harder to trade.
Then again, without DeRozan around, who knows?
‘‘I think leadership, both on and off the court,’’ Eversley said when he was asked what the Bulls would miss most about DeRozan’s departure. ‘‘I think he was an extension of Billy on the court and off the court. The three years he gave us were unbelievable. [They] far exceeded my expectations.’’
His absence might be felt very soon.