Bulls guard Zach LaVine is eligible for a four-year contract extension of $ 104,832,000 this season.
That’s relatively low compensation for a 26-year-old All-Star who could sign a deal until 2022 as a free agent.
A. Sherrod Blakely of Bleacher Report:
Therefore, competing executives expect the Bulls to try to lock LaVine in with a contract extension (he will earn $ 19.5 million this season and next year), but know he will likely drop his contract, become an unlimited free agent and signed which is a more profitable multi-year treaty.
The Bulls could use their headroom this summer to renegotiate LaVine’s current contract, enabling them to expand its deal at a higher amount. A player-friendly renegotiation and expansion is certainly possible.
Perhaps these competitive executives know that a renegotiation and expansion is not in the map. These are the kind of research teams. They want to know which players are achievable and when.
If this summer uses headroom on LaVine, Chicago will have less room to pursue outdoor upgrades. The Bulls, as evidenced by the Nikola Vucevic trade, are trying to appeal to LaVine by winning more. (It has not worked so far and with LaVine due to coronavirus protocols it is less likely that it will start working soon.)
Or maybe the rival drivers are just guessing about the Bulls and LaVine’s plans. This will be much less important.
The possibility that these other teams know Chicago and LaVine’s plans still makes it worth considering.