LaVine had the misfortune of playing for the Bulls in a lost decade, and people will always focus on the context of the points he scored. “Legacy” is an overused word in sports, but LaVine should be remembered in Chicago as a fine scorer who helped lift the franchise out of its doldrums and into mediocrity — which isn’t the kind of sporting career one dreams of as a child.

The Chicago Bulls finally completed the most complicated task in kick-starting a rebuild: trading longtime star Zach LaVine. Regret seemed to seize the Bulls the moment LaVine signed a maximum contract with the team in 2022.