The Chicago Bulls and shooting guard Zach Lavine agreed to a five-year, $215 million max contract extension. After being traded by the the Minnesota Timberwolves, Lavine emerged as a two time All-Star in Chicago. Lavine and teammate Demar DeRozan led the Chicago Bulls to the playoffs for the first time in five years this past season. At 27 years old, Lavine reached the postseason for the first time in his career, and with the contract extension Lavine looks to improv upon last season.
Lavine provides an instant-offense for the Chicago Bulls averaging 23.7 points per game in the past four seasons while shooting at high volume. Lavine is a player that can score on all three levels, finishing at the rim with explosiveness, rising above defenders for quality-percentage three’s, and his calmness from the mid-range. Lavine is also steady at the free-throw line, shooting over 80% for the past four seasons with over five attempts per game.
The past year has been a great year of learning and maturing for Zach Lavine, coming off winning a gold medal with Team USA and using that experience to help lead his team this past season. Lavine averaged 24.4 points, 4.5 assists and 4.6 rebounds per game while shooting 47.6% from the field and 38.9% from three-point range. Lavine’s offensive production was limited due to a lingering left knee injury that required surgury after the season ended. This is the same left knee in which Lavine tore his ACL in 2017 that kept him out of the lineup when initially traded to the Bulls.
Lavine said he intended to explore the free agent market for the first time in his career as an unrestricted free agent. Bulls executive Vice-President of basketball operations Arturas Karnisovas was consistent in his hopes for Lavine to return to the Bulls. He wanted to keep the core pieces of this past years group together to ensure future success.
The Chicago Bulls also acquired former Brooklyn Nets center Andre Drummond. He agreed to a two-year, $6.6 million deal and with his size he brings a much needed big man in the front court of the Chicago Bulls.