Zach LaVine and the Chicago Bulls have a big 2021-22 season ahead of them after the front office made some big splashes in the offseason to add talent to the roster. The Bulls have stunk since trading Jimmy Butler in 2017, and now it's finally time to take a big step forward.

This is especially important given LaVine is set to be a free agent in 2022. The Bulls star knows what's at stake this season and is looking forward to the challenge.

Via ESPN's Brian Windhorst:

“At the end of the day it's a business,” LaVine told ESPN on Thursday. “They did what was best for the team and I will continue to go out there and do what's best for the team as well. This season going forward is going to be extremely crucial not just for me but for everybody. Winning would take care of everything.”

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LaVine was eligible to sign an extension with the Bulls this offseason, and there were some conversations ahead of free agency. But because of his situation, an extension didn't make sense for either party. The standard extension wouldn't have paid him what he's worth, and Chicago didn't want to use cap space to sign him to a larger extension because of the plans for free agency.

The Bulls made good use of free agency by bringing in Lonzo Ball, Alex Caruso and DeMar DeRozan. This roster is the most talented LaVine has ever been on in his NBA career, which has seen zero playoff appearances.

With his free agency approaching, LaVine is looking to tune out all the rumors and just focus on winning games. He has shown no hints of wanting to leave Chicago, and given his improvements, he should expect a max contract offer on the table next summer.