It's official: Zach LaVine and Kris Dunn won't play again this season.
The Bulls made clear Monday what they had hinted at for weeks _ that not enough practice time remains to get LaVine and Dunn back in game condition. Both have been sidelined since March 15 with left knee tendinitis (LaVine) and turf toe (Dunn).
LaVine finishes his first season back from left ACL surgery with averages of 16.7 points and three assists in 27.3 minutes over 24 games. He shot 38.3 percent, including 34.1 percent from 3-point range.
Dunn averaged 13.4 points, six assists and 4.3 rebounds in 52 games, including 43 starts.
"I'm excited about next year with those two guys for the fact that when we were playing our best stretch of basketball this season, Zach had come back," coach Fred Hoiberg said. "He was playing about 20 minutes when he first got back. We won those first two games where we had him playing some of our best basketball. I wish we could've kept that going.
"As Zach's minutes increased, we were playing so well and with so much confidence. Unfortunately that next game, Kris Dunn goes down," Hoiberg said, alluding to Dunn's scary fall and concussion against the Warriors on Jan. 17. "We just weren't able to see exactly what that would've looked like when we were playing our best basketball.
"When I go back and watch those games _ the Miami game I just watched last week _ it's exciting and fun. We were playing a really good brand of basketball. That gives me a lot of hope for what's to come. It's going to take a lot of work in the offseason to get that chemistry right."
The Bulls have five games remaining. Hoiberg, who missed Sunday's game because of an illness, watched practice Monday but didn't lead it and is unsure if he or associate head coach Jim Boylen will coach Tuesday's home game against the Hornets.
