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The Chicago Bulls made a concerted effort this offseason to switch the entire direction of the franchise to a full rebuild with a young roster.
One of those core pieces is fourth-year guard Zach LaVine, who the Bulls acquired from the Minnesota Timberwolves in the Jimmy Butler trade. He is currently heading into the final year of his four-year, $9.6 million rookie deal that includes a $4.4 million qualifying offer for next summer.
According to K.C. Johnson of the Chicago Tribune, LaVine is confident that he will be able to work out a long-term deal to remain with the Bulls.
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Zach LaVine said it’s “fine” he and Bulls didn’t reach rookie contract extension. “I know I’m going to be in black and red for a long time.”
— K.C. Johnson (@KCJHoop) October 23, 2017
This comes after not being able to work out an extension prior to the deadline earlier this month for fourth-year players. LaVine is currently recovering from a torn ACL in his left knee that he suffered back in February and is expected to make a return at some point in November or December.
The 22-year-old has stated that he is two weeks away from being able to participate in contact drills, which keeps him on track to make his return over the next month or so. Throughout the process, he has remained optimistic and has even revealed that his athletic ability has improved during the recovery.
Once LaVine does make his comeback, he will have an opportunity to grab ahold of the top scorer role while potential vie for becoming the face of the franchise. All of this will be dependent on his play on the court that will be a huge determining factor in his long-term future in Chicago.
