The All-Star guard from Chicago will return on a two-year, $215.2 million contract
Zach LaVine has agreed to terms with the Chicago Bulls.
The two-time All-Star and Olympic gold medalist announced a new contract with the Bulls on Friday.
According to a person with direct knowledge of the terms who spoke to The Associated Press on the condition of anonymity because the deal cannot be signed until next week due to league rules, LaVine will sign a five-year max contract worth about $215 million.
With that, another top free agent left the market, resolving the Bulls’ biggest roster issue this summer.
The Bulls and LaVine reached an agreement, according to The Athletic.
Arturas Karnisovas, the Bulls’ executive vice president of basketball operations, had stated repeatedly that the team intended to re-sign LaVine rather than lose him as an unrestricted free agent.
He wanted to keep the core players who helped Chicago reach the playoffs for the first time in five years.
Meanwhile, LaVine announced his intention to enter the industry as an unrestricted free agent for the first time in his career after five years in Chicago.
If he looked around, he didn’t look long — LaVine made his decision about 18 hours after the league’s free-agent negotiation window opened for this season.
There are numerous advantages to LaVine staying, including obvious financial advantages. Chicago could have offered LaVine $56 million more than any team could have this summer.
LaVine averaged 24.4 points per game in the final season of a four-year, $78 million contract. In his eighth season as a pro, the high-flying guard made the playoffs for the first time, with the Bulls losing in the first round to Milwaukee in five games.
However, it was a year of clear success for Chicago, which won 46 games, led by LaVine, DeMar DeRozan, and Nikola Vucevic.
The Bulls had their best record in seven years and now have a lot of momentum going into the new season.
LaVine had a difficult season last year. He suffered a thumb injury early in the season and was in and out of the lineup for the final few months due to a left knee injury.
On Friday, all of that seemed to be forgotten. LaVine’s wife posted a photo of him on IG briefly after the deal was announced, showing him smoking a celebratory cigar.
