The Bulls must extend Zach LaVine this offseason, here's how they can do it

BY BELLA MICHAELS

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He posted career highs.

He became an NBA All-Star.

He became the first Chicago Bulls player to hit 200 threes in a season.

He’s Zach LaVine and he’s the No. 1 reason the Bulls even became relevant this past season.

As he heads into the final year of his contract next season, the ideal situation for the Bulls is to extend LaVine and build around him, as they began to do by adding big man Nikola Vucevic at the trade deadline.

But their salary cap space will force them to choose whether they want to invest in LaVine or start an entirely new building phase, yet again.

A rebuilding phase that the Bulls have been in since the end of the Jordan era. An endless cycle that has been happening for 22 years -- my entire lifetime. Bulls fans are sick of it.

It is time to stick to a talent that is worthy of a max contract deal, even if it means sacrificing some things for now.

Historically, the Bulls haven’t been quick to hand out max contracts. In 2017, Chicago traded Jimmy Butler specifically to avoid paying him the supermax. They traded their No. 1 guy to obtain Kris Dunn, LaVine and the seventh overall pick, Lauri Markkanen.

Butler went on to lead his Miami Heat team to the NBA Finals -- something the Bulls haven’t seen in too long.

They should not make the same mistake with LaVine. He is that worthy talent now and he’s been proving it all season long.

“Under the NBA’s typical extension system, the Bulls can only give LaVine a 20% raise over his final season salary of $19,500,000,” Danny Leroux said.

Leroux is an NBA cost-benefit analyst for The Athletic and host of Dunc’d On and RealGM podcasts.

“That would mean a starting salary of $23,400,000 and a largest allowable extension of four years at $104.8 million,” Leroux said. “Considering LaVine’s max as a free agent will be in the $33-35 million range depending on the 2022-23 salary cap. It seems very unlikely he would accept that offer.”

However, Leroux broke down two other ways the Bulls could give LaVine more money than that before free agency in 2022.

The first scenario is the “Designated Veteran Player Extension.” This is the most unlikely scenario because this requires LaVine to be chosen for an All-NBA team this season, which probably won’t happen. If he were to make the All-NBA team, the Bulls could give him a market-value extension while also preserving cap space to improve the team around him.

This means LaVine would keep his 2020-21 salary for now and then give him a gigantic deal afterwards. If he doesn’t sign any type of extension this offseason but makes the All-NBA team next season, he would still be eligible for this contract with the Bulls next season.

The most likely scenario to happen is the Bulls keeping LaVine through renegotiation and extension.

But this requires the Bulls to find the cap space, and if they do so, they can use some of it to give LaVine a raise for 2021-22 and then build an extension off that raise.

“If Chicago lets their free agents walk, they would have roughly $13 million in cap space for free agents and/or a LaVine renegotiation,” Leroux said. “That would be painful because it would require letting guys like Lauri Markkanen go without compensation but it could be worth it to lock up LaVine, should he be willing to do it.”

And should he be willing to do it is key here. LaVine will ultimately have to make the decision based on what his priorities are.

If his main desire is to contend for a championship or play in a specific market, he’ll probably sign elsewhere.

If his main priority is money, he will stick with the Bulls because they’ll offer him a higher salary than any other team in the NBA. Chicago is a top-3 media market so that comes with top marketing opportunities to thicken his exposure and brand -- something that’ll be difficult for him to find elsewhere.

The only players that are mostly assured to return to the squad next season are LaVine, Vucevic, White and Patrick Williams. The rest of the team are mainly free agents and players with team options or contracts not fully guaranteed.

Expect Cristiano Felicio, Markkanen, Al-Farouq Aminu, JaVonte Green and possibly Garett Temple to go. And thank them for freeing up some cap space.

Ideally, the Bulls should fill the point guard position when looking for additional players to assist LaVine and company.

Lonzo Ball would be the perfect fit.

He would bring great perimeter defense to a team that is in desperate need of a defensive point guard. His two-way playmaking skills would complete the team.

Ball is a true, pass-first guard that can facilitate in a way that White has shown he simply cannot.

Defense is the best skill Ball has to offer on and off the ball. He has a strong basketball IQ. He knows how to position himself when it comes to help defense and can get the ball in transition.

He averaged 1.5 steals and 0.6 blocks per game this past season, which is impressive.

Ball has more impact on the court because of his pacing skills and pass-first mentality. He improved his presence on both ends of the court this season by shooting 37.8% from three, while White averaged 35.9% this season.

Just imagine a beautiful lob thrown by Ball over to Vucevic or LaVine for a nice slam.

But that’s all looking like a fantasy because Ball will reportedly be seeking $20 million this offseason.

“It would be very difficult,” Leroux said. “Both a LaVine renegotiation/extension and a Lonzo offer sheet would require cap space, unless they can convince the Pelicans to do a sign-and-trade. It’s possible, but would require assets and salary going to New Orleans or a third team.”

What matters most is that LaVine stays. When he missed 11 games late in the season due to NBA health and safety protocols, the Bulls went 4-7 in his absence. They lost four straight games.

At the start of his absence, the Bulls were 10th in the East, the final spot in the play-in. They had an actual chance to make the playoffs.

By the end of his absence, the Bulls had become the worst offensive team in the league. They failed to score 100 points in their last four games of his absence, averaging just 102.7.

Arturas Karnisovas, executive vice president of operations of the Bulls, has shown he wants to keep LaVine longterm by bringing in players like Vucevic to give him a helping hand offensively.

“He’s been establishing himself as a leader of this team,” Karnisovas said earlier this season in a press conference. “We’ve improved dramatically because of his impact winning.”

LaVine has improved his numbers in each season of his career, averaging 27.4 points per game, 5.0 rebounds and 4.9 assists this season.

He spiked his efficiency as a shooter. This season he shot 50.7% from the field, 41.9% from behind the arc and 84.9% from the line.

He posted six 20-point quarters, second only to Steph Curry. He posted 25 30-point games, two ahead of Joel Embiid (23).

He was the only player in the league to play at least 50 games and average 25 points on shooting splits of 50-40-80.

Back in his Minnesota Timberwolves days, LaVine suffered an ACL injury, something that many athletes never comeback from.

He’s had six different coaches in seven seasons. These are circumstances that could be detrimental to a player’s development, yet LaVine continued to execute to his best capability and reached an All-Star caliber.

He was the savior of a Bulls team that was plagued by an injured front court and an inconsistent point guard in Coby White, who lacked the defensive impact the Bulls desperately needed.

LaVine put on a show and gave Bulls fans a reason to wear their jerseys with pride again instead of shame.

He is a leader on and off the court, he makes hustle plays and makes his teammates around him better. He’s shown unselfishness and has stuck around despite his team failing to make the playoffs for the fourth-straight year.

The Bulls should not let their star player get away this time because as soon as they do, it’ll be another bumpy road of rebuilding and waiting around for young players to get acclimated.

Enough is enough.

Let’s not wait another 22 years for the Bulls to find a stable next wave of talent.

Stop swapping franchise stars for future potential.

LaVine is that franchise star making the Bulls relevant and entertaining to watch.

The two-time Slam Dunk Contest winner is arguably one of the most vibrant players in the league when he gets ignited.

The Bulls must do what it takes to keep him satisfied and keep his fire streak going.