Zach LaVine has a big decision to make this offseason.
In 2018, LaVine signed a four-year, $78 million deal with the Bulls. He did not come to terms on an extension with Chicago prior to the 2021-22 season, so he will be an unrestricted free agent at the season's end, allowing him to sign with any team of his choosing.
LaVine is arguably the best player in this year's free agent class. He's earned two All-Star selections in his career and has proven himself to be one of the league's most electrifying scorers. While there aren't many teams projected to have cap space this offseason, there will be no shortage of interest in him.
How likely is it that LaVine re-signs with the Bulls? How much money is he in line to make? And why in the world are the Lakers being linked to him?
Let's take a closer look.
MORE: Full list of players for All-NBA First, Second and Third Teams
How good is Zach LaVine?
Pretty dang good.
In the 2020-21 season, LaVine averaged a career-best 27.4 points per game while knocking on the door of the 50-40-90 club with .507/.419/.849 shooting splits. His scoring was down slightly this season, and yet he was still among the league's leading scorers with 24.4 points per game.
LaVine has always been an elite athlete, but he's developed into a dynamic shooter on the move and off the catch. He checked out as one of the league's best pick-and-roll and isolation scorers this season, and there aren't many players who can match his speed and athleticism in transition.
The knock on LaVine is that he's never been much of a defender and while he's made strides as a facilitator over the last couple of seasons, he's still not a big-time playmaker for others.
Ahead of the 2022 NBA Playoffs, our TSN staff voted LaVine as the 25th best player in the NBA.
Did Zach LaVine undergo surgery?
On May 24, 2022, the Bulls announced that LaVine underwent left knee arthroscopic surgery to address an injury he dealt with during the season. He is expected to make a full recovery in time for the start of the 2022-23 season.
Playing through his injury, LaVine struggled in Chicago's first-round series loss to the Bucks, averaging 19.3 points per game on 42.9 percent shooting, both marks significantly down from his regular season averages of 24.4 points and 47.6 percent shooting.
Training camps will begin in late September with the regular season set to begin in the middle of October.
Zach LaVine max contract options in free agency
Having missed out on an All-NBA selection this season, LaVine is not eligible for a supermax extension.
Don't feel too bad for him, though.
According to ESPN's Bobby Marks, the most LaVine can now sign with the Bulls is a five-year, $212.3 million contract. If he chooses to sign with another team, the most he's eligible for is a four-year, $157.4 million deal.
Zach LaVine (with no All-NBA)
— Bobby Marks (@BobbyMarks42) May 25, 2022
Chicago: 5 years $212.3M
Not with Chicago: 4 years $157.4M
Either way, LaVine is due for a big raise.
Why is Zach LaVine being connected to the Lakers?
Because the Lakers being interested in [insert multi-time All-Star] is a tale as old as time.
No, but seriously, there are a few reasons why LaVine and the Lakers have been linked since Chicago's season ended.
One, LaVine has some ties to Los Angeles, having attended UCLA for one season. It's also well known that he grew up as a fan of Lakers legend Kobe Bryant. Two, LaVine is a client of Klutch Sports, which was founded by Rich Paul, who is a close friend of LeBron James, and represents Lakers star Anthony Davis.
When LaVine signed with Klutch, he got a welcome message from — who else? — LeBron.
Welcome @ZachLaVine!!! Family Over Here. 🙏🏾✊🏾💪🏾👑 @KlutchSports
— LeBron James (@KingJames) August 31, 2021
Three, LaVar Ball, the father of Bulls guard Lonzo Ball, said in an interview on May 18 that LaVine is "gone" because he "don't want to play second fiddle" to DeMar DeRozan in Chicago.
When asked where he's going to go, Ball responded, "they're gonna love him in LA."
Adding fuel to the fire is that LaVine told TMZ this week that he's "always been a big fan" of the Lakers.
So... Zach LaVine is going to the Lakers?
Not exactly.
The problem the Lakers face is that they're not going to have much (if any) cap space to work with this offseason, so signing LaVine outright is off the table.
As Bleacher Report's Eric Pincus broke down, the Lakers' only real option of acquiring LaVine is a sign-and-trade, and even that is incredibly complicated because they're short on assets that would likely whet Chicago's appetite.
Even if Chicago were open to a one-to-one swap of LaVine for Westbrook (unlikely), the math wouldn't work. With LaVine getting a significant raise, his outgoing trade value to the Bulls would be his 2021-22 salary of $19.5 million—$18.1 million short in contracts to match for Westbrook.
If LaVine tried to make the fan theory a reality, the Lakers and Bulls would need to rope in a third team to take Westbrook.
Additionally, an NBA executive told Heavy's Sean Deveney reported that a lot of the "drama" currently surrounding LaVine and the Bulls is being stirred up by Klutch Sports.
"A lot of this is coming from the agents, where they want to not only get him paid but raise his profile at the same time," the source told Deveney. "That is their M.O. The more drama in the process, the better. No one was talking about Zach. Now everyone is. Mission accomplished."
So... Zach LaVine is going to re-sign with the Bulls?
Time will tell, I suppose.
Bulls insider K.C. Johnson wrote on May 20 that LaVine's return to the Bulls "no longer is considered the slam dunk it once was." Johnson added that the Bulls expect LaVine to meet with other teams in free agency.
In addition to the Lakers, the Hawks, Trail Blazers and Mavericks are considered potential destinations for LaVine.
More recently, Bleacher Report's Jake Fischer reported that LaVine is still expected to remain with the Bulls, even if he tests the waters as a free agent.
The premise that Zach LaVine's contract expiration would swiftly result in a lucrative extension with Chicago has dissolved, sources told B/R. However, the Bulls are still considered likely to retain LaVine on the open market.
Free agency opens up on Aug. 2. Buckle up, folks.
