All indications this week were pointing to Zach LaVine staying with the Chicago Bulls on a hefty, long-term contract extension. On Friday, it became official.
The report comes on the heels of the news that the Bulls were signing big man Andre Drummond to a two-year, $6.6 million contract.
LaVine underwent arthroscopic surgery in May, but is expected to be ready to play when the 2022-2023 season begins in October. The former Minnesota Timberwolves lottery selection notched his second straight All-Star honor during the 2021-2022 campaign and finished the year with averages of 24.4 points, 4.6 rebounds, 4.5 assists and 34.7 minutes per game across 67 contests.
A big offseason in the summer of 2021 that included the additions of DeMar DeRozan and Lonzo Ball to an already talented starting five with LaVine and Nikola Vucevic elevated expectations in Chicago and helped the Bulls get off to a fast start in the fall. Ball was limited to 35 games and other injuries and issues with COVID-19 wrecked the squad in the second half, before they were eliminated in the first round of the playoffs by the Milwaukee Bucks.
DeRozan, Vucevic and Ball are all under contract, though the starting point guard could miss the beginning of next season with his knee injury.
