NBA: 5 most interesting free agents to monitor this offseason

NBA free agent No. 2: Zach LaVine

Zach LaVine has established himself as a star in Chicago, recording another splendid season: 24.4 points, 4.6 rebounds, and 4.5 assists per game on 47.6/38.9/85.3 shooting splits. He’s become an efficient scorer at all three levels, still maintaining his explosiveness at the rim in transition.

After the Bulls reached the playoffs for the first time since 2017, it would make all the sense in the world to bring back LaVine. The duo of him and DeMar DeRozan was one of the best offensive one-two punches in the league. Combine that with defenders such as Lonzo Ball, Alex Caruso, and the potential of Patrick Williams – the Bulls are building something in Chicago.

However, if they were to lose LaVine in free agency, they would take a massive step backward, losing their franchise player of the present and future. He’s an unrestricted free agent, and the Bulls can offer him a five-year, $212 million contract for his services, by far the most out of any team.

Unfortunately for Bulls fans, this reunion is not as certain as it once was, with LaVine exploring his options in free agency. Teams such as the Trail Blazers, Lakers, Hawks, and Mavericks are all interested in the high flyer, with his presence having the ability to turn a good team into a great one.

At this point, it would still be surprising to see LaVine end up anywhere besides Chicago, as the difference in money is far too drastic. However, if they decide to not offer the full max, he could easily sign somewhere else, through traditional free agency to a team with cap space through a sign-and-trade.

With their first competitive team in a half-decade, the Bulls cannot afford to screw this up. At 27 years old, LaVine is still in the middle of his prime. With a healthier season, Chicago can look to actually contend next year, as long as they re-sign the two-time all-star.