The Chicago Bulls’ aggressive roster retooling over the past sixth months just might have been enough to convince Zach LaVine to stick around.
ESPN Chicago radio personality David Kaplan (h/t Clutch Points) said he heard from sources that the All-Star guard, who will soon be a free agent, wants to stay in Chicago.
“He has told people that I know: ‘Hey man, if they want me here, I’m not going anywhere. I’m building this thing. I’m the first guy in the door. I wanna be part of this.'”
While LaVine might be willing to stick around now, his feelings could change based on Chicago’s performance during the 2021-22 campaign. The Bulls finished 11th in the Eastern Conference last season with a 31-41 record. They’ll likely have to make a significant leap to keep LaVine around.
LaVine has avoided signing an extension with the Bulls because the most they could offer was four years and $104.8 million. As a free agent next summer, he can re-sign with Chicago for five years and $201 million.
At this point, there’s no telling what LaVine might do. The 26-year-old could re-sign with the Bulls next summer and remain the face of the franchise. However, the free-agent market could be quite dry at that point, meaning LaVine could be one of the most sought-after players available.
Rumors will continue to fly until LaVine puts pen to paper on a new deal. So, for now, all fans can do is wait and see what happens.