Zach LaVine, wanting his ”respect” out of a new contract, is rumoured to sign a max contract extension with the Chicago Bulls.
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Zach LaVine is one of the top combo guards in the league today. The 6-foot-5 highflyer is one of the very few players who has consistently been improving his game year after year.
Ever since LaVine was acquired by the Chicago Bulls back in 2017, the shooting guard has been the leader for a subpar Bulls team. This season too, Zach was phenomenal.
He ended the 2020-2021 season putting up an incredible 27.4 points, 5 rebounds and 4.9 assists per game on an efficient 50/42/85 shooting splits, earning his first-ever All-Star selection.
The Team USA guard is now in the last year of the 4-year, $78 million contract he signed back in 2017. During an interview in Tokyo, Zach made it pretty clear that once the free agency opens up, he wants his “respect” to be seen in the upcoming Chicago Bulls contract. Ahead of Team USA’s Olympic quarterfinals encounter against Spain, the 26-year-old said:
“I just want my respect, that’s the main thing. I outplayed my contract. I’ve been very loyal to Chicago. I like Chicago. I just want my respect. If that’s now or later, it’s something we’ve got to work out internally.”
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According to Brian Windhorst, the Bulls will offer Zach LaVine a 4-year, $105 million contract
Over the past couple of years, the Chicago Bulls has been a lottery team at best. However, with the acquisition of big man Nikola Vucevic. Along with young guns like Coby White, Lauri Markkanen, the Bulls would hope to retain Zach LaVine who has developed into an All-Star calibre level player over the last few years.
According to ESPN’s senior writer Brian Windhorst, the Bulls are currently limited to how much they can offer LaVine. Brian discloses that the organisation could possibly put up a 4-year, $105 million contract at the most. This is what Windhorst further wrote:
“The Bulls are limited in how much they can extend for him based on that number, which at most would come out to a deal that could reach up to $105 million over four years. That figure, however, is likely below LaVine’s market value.”
As soon as rumours of Zach LaVine’s new contract went viral, NBA Twitter went absolutely berserk.
Didn’t see any max material from him… Why should they pay him $40+ mil, when he can’t lead them to playoffs…
— Mario Breljak (@mbreljak15) August 2, 2021
They don’t want my man to be a future laker but they can’t even pay him right. ♂️
— Ian Rivera (@ianriveraeng) August 2, 2021
Zach Lavine said pic.twitter.com/heEXf3aFsD
— (@papyfaye1) August 2, 2021
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Even if Chicago decides not to offer any extension, they could very well sign him next year when he would be available in the market as an unrestricted free agent. Eager Zach LaVine fans will just have to be patient and see what is written in the former UCLA Bruins’ future.
