In this episode of The Draymond Green Show, host Draymond Green and Colin Cowherd interview Chicago Bulls guard Zach LaVine. The conversation centers on the Bulls' 2021‑2022 offseason roster moves, especially the acquisition of veteran All‑NBA forward DeMar DeRozan. LaVine explains how the addition fits the team’s needs, describing a "hand‑in‑glove" chemistry with DeRozan that blends his own three‑point and slashing abilities with DeRozan’s mid‑range game and veteran poise. They discuss the media narratives that painted DeRozan as past his prime, the Bulls’ front‑office rationale for signing him despite market doubts, and the value of his playoff experience and calming presence in high‑pressure moments. Throughout, LaVine emphasizes that the pairing feels like a "match made in heaven" and highlights how the new roster pieces—Lonzo Ball, Alex Caruso, and DeRozan—complement each other to elevate the Bulls’ championship aspirations.
Chapters
Hi, it's Colin Cowherd. I started The Volume to bring you some of the most authentic voices in sports. While you're here, make sure you hit subscribe. Thanks.
The year is 2021. Mm-hmm. You become an All-Star for the first time. Yep. You win an Olympic gold medal. Sound like a damn good year to me, my man.
Yeah, hey man, look, a lot of work goes into that and it just, You know, it started manifesting. And then obviously going into this year with the year that we're having, the additions that we brought in, it's been incredible.
And talk me through those additions. And I wanna hear about one in particular. Lonzo has been a great addition. Alex Caruso has been a great addition. But DeMar, and you know, coming into the— well, just going into those talks, there's a lot of talk about you and DeMar, y'all play the same position. How is that gonna work together once— And then DeMar does— Did you— Well, before we get to DeMar signing, did you have any conversations with DeMar about coming to Chicago or was that all done with DeMar and Arturo?
Well, they went through their own process of going to get him. And then obviously I called DeMar myself when we were in Tokyo.
Mm-hmm.
I had a conversation with him and I was all on board 'cause I wanted a guy like that. For all the narratives that got put out about it, I think it was stupid. You know, for people that don't know basketball, don't know him as a person or a basketball player, like DeMar DeRozan's an All-NBA, you know, player. Like you say, future Hall of Fame player. He's proven this before. And the narratives that got put out 'cause he was in San Antonio, like, he's been playing great basketball for a long time.
Yeah, 10 years.
I don't know where that came from. So it was great to have a guy like that. And the way we've been able to work our chemistry on the court has been, It's been like a hand in a glove.
I think it's definitely been beautiful. And speaking of those narratives, obviously, as you know, I'm very close to DeMar as well.
Yeah.
And we would always talk through all of that stuff going on. DeMar is, you know, he's washed up. He's kind of at the end. Mid-range jump shots, he doesn't shoot threes.
Yeah.
And you hear all of that talk. Really for the last two, better part of the last two years since he went to the Spurs. And, you know, obviously he continued to push him. And one thing that you and I both know is how he works.
Yeah.
And like works nonstop. But what was it for, if you've had these conversations, I'm not even sure if you've had the conversation, but what was it for, AK and the Bulls franchise that saw DeMar and said, "No, he can fit here and this will work." What was it that pushed them towards this direction? Because I don't think his market was that hot, especially when the Lakers went away, which goes to show, I always talk about talent evaluators and how they evaluate talent. But what was it that pushed y'all to get over what everyone was saying about DeMar?
I haven't personally talked with AK and Mark about what made them like him, but when they came to me and said, "How would this work?" I was all for it. You know, we needed somebody that obviously I knew I could go to battle with every single day that's been in those positions. I haven't been to those playoffs, like we were talking about before, and someone who's had big-time success in the playoffs, somebody who has a calming presence in the fourth quarter and go down and make big shots and be a, you know, me and him can be a, you know, a one-two punch, you know, throughout the whole game. It's a, it really has been like a match made in heaven. Him playing in the mid-range, me being able to get to the cup and shoot 3. You know, we've been able to do pretty much everything. And just that presence he has, man, you know, I mean, you know, he has just such a confidence and a calming presence that's been able to help us this year.
