Wiretap: Bulls Hope To Re-Sign Zach LaVine At $14M-$16M

[MrSparkle]

At the end of the day, LaVine’s agent has no right to demand a max or out.

People were reluctant about Jimmy getting the max, and that was after a 21 PER season and all-star appearance. But the hesitation was there; “what if he comes down to earth?”

Someone explain to me how a 4-year SG with a 14 PER, recovered from a full ACL Tear and zero ASG deserves the max? 60/4 would honestly be my peak offer, and I’d be happy with that gamble. I don’t even see the point of a 1+1 — like the Niko contract, in the end we came out with a late 1st in trade and probably a #7 pick instead of a top-3. Do we want the same predicament next year, if he improves slightly? If Zach helps us win 5-10 games, that could be the difference between 5-10 draft spots. If he becomes incredible, you max him but you're still nervous about the injury.

He’s an interesting player, but not a real solution to our need for a premiere guard.

[johnnyvann840]

Friedell said on 670 today that the Bulls offensive playbook has already shifted from featuring LaVine to featuring Lauri.
If that is actually true, no way in hell Bulls match a large offer for LaVine.

What a load of crap, makes NO sense.

They were both acquired at the same time, LaVine didn't come close to playing for half the season while Markkanen increased his minutes every week, LaVine finally did play a few games. Is Friedell's position that the Bulls played all of last year featuring a guy who hardly played or that when the season ended they put in the LaVine playbook knowing damn well he is a RFA but now after the draft they are switching over to Lauri?

This is laughable that he could come up with something so absurd. That's not worthy of message board expertise.

Well, Lavine may have only played in 25 games but in those games his usage was around 30. Ben Simmons had a usage rate of 22, Donovan Mitchell, 29

Lebron James had a usage of 31. Steph Curry 31. KD, 30.

So, yeah, the Bulls offense was very much in the hands of Zach Lavine from the time he started playing last season. During those minutes that he was on the floor, the Bulls got their asses beat by an historically awful 13.2 pts per 100. If a team played out an entire season like that, they would be among the worst teams in the history of the NBA.

[Houston_Bulls]

Does gerald green have the ability to create his own shot? No

Does gerald green have the playmaking ability like lavine has? No

Does gerald green do anything good besides jump high and catch n shoot? No

There's a reason gerald green has been on 7-8 teams in his career.

Like I've said in many other threads lavine does have to improve his defensive awareness,bball iq and cut back the questionable kobe shot taking but these weirdo bulls fans hate of him is group think herd mentality.

Meanwhile lavine is currently working his butt off to accomplish his goal of being an all star

not fair to judge a young raw player who has had 4 different coaches in his 4 years in the nba

Shot creation is far and away the most overrated skill in basketball, what matters is efficiency. Lavine has some nice skills, his "potential" is what scares me. Evan Turner and Andrew Wiggins are dripping with basketball talent, yet neither has done anything to merit their absurd contracts. Both guys have amassed fortunes by showing just enough to trick gullible teams into handing them big contracts.

[johnnyvann840]

I don't know why people keep talking about a 1+1 deal or things like this. Here's what is going to happen. We have already heard this from Paxson. Three times in the last month he's said it. Bulls are going to let Zach go out and get an offer. That offer sheet has to be for 3 years at least. Rule. Then, he will come back with his best offer and the Bulls will either match the offer or say goodbye to Zach. That's it. There won't be any preemptive offer from the Bulls for anything close to $20M per year as some are suggesting. That would be pure idiocy. If nobody offers more than $15M per year for 3 or 4 years, the Bulls probably match and it's probably a good gamble. Worst case is we have a tradeable contract that should be fairly easy to move.

I wouldn't spend 15% of the cap on a guy who's likely upside is good sixth man. I wouldn't spend 45 million on the 3% chance that he morphs into CJ McCollum or Bradley Beal.

I'm with you all the way on this.

Personally, I would let him walk for anything more than $8M per year. I know that is unrealistic, so I guess the number is more like $14M, which for the level of player he is and the impact he has is a GROSS overpay. Look, we aren't paying for him to win the dunk contest, or to be the highest jumper. We want winning basketball players. Players that help you on the scoreboard and not just on highlight reels.

[Lexluthor]

Lavine was picked 13th not 5th and there isnt one player on the roster with a higher ceiling than zach lavine

I believe Lauri has a higher ceiling

[pipfan]

I highly doubt anyone throws 20+ million at Zach. He MIGHT cost us a little more than we want, but he will come back. I think he will become a Rip Hamilton type SG-sneaks into a few all star games and has a very solid career.

He could bust, or get a max, but both are highly doubtful. Plus, he has a good attitude and seems to want to improve

[musiqsoulchild]

There's KC contradicting himself AGAIN. This is the opposite of what he said yesterday or a couple of days ago. Anyway, sounds like the Bulls are going to be idiots about this just like they were last year around this time with Felicio.

Jesus. Let's hope they don't offer him anymore than Niko got last year, because Zach isn't worth half of what Niko is right now. In fact, I wish we still had Niko on the deal he is on.

KC, is reporting news as he gets it.

How does that equal contradicting himself? There could be multiple sources in the FO with multiple opinions on what to do with Zach. That's just one example of how KC might be coming up variations to an already reported story.

Secondly, what Bulls did with Niko is how they have ALWAYS handled FA / RFA negotiations.

Starting with Nocioni, Deng....et al. The players agents have to come up with a market offer. And then, the Bulls will make their decision. It's sound logic.

If the player is someone that the Bulls organization cares about, then they'll make an offer and the player can still go test the market:

Deng ( second contract, we correctly offered 3 for 30 Million)
Taj ( we made the correct offer. Taj refused. That's ok.)
Niko ( we made the offer. Niko couldn't get a better offer from the market).

[musiqsoulchild]

I don't know why people keep talking about a 1+1 deal or things like this. Here's what is going to happen. We have already heard this from Paxson. Three times in the last month he's said it. Bulls are going to let Zach go out and get an offer. That offer sheet has to be for 3 years at least. Rule. Then, he will come back with his best offer and the Bulls will either match the offer or say goodbye to Zach. That's it. There won't be any preemptive offer from the Bulls for anything close to $20M per year as some are suggesting. That would be pure idiocy. If nobody offers more than $15M per year for 3 or 4 years, the Bulls probably match and it's probably a good gamble. Worst case is we have a tradeable contract that should be fairly easy to move.

I wouldn't spend 15% of the cap on a guy who's likely upside is good sixth man. I wouldn't spend 45 million on the 3% chance that he morphs into CJ McCollum or Bradley Beal.

I'm with you all the way on this.

Personally, I would let him walk for anything more than $8M per year. I know that is unrealistic, so I guess the number is more like $14M, which for the level of player he is and the impact he has is a GROSS overpay. Look, we aren't paying for him to win the dunk contest, or to be the highest jumper. We want winning basketball players. Players that help you on the scoreboard and not just on highlight reels.

I think the Bulls will keep him if it's 16M or below per year.

The trick is to make sure that the years are low.

[Chitownbulls]

At just 23yrs old, Zach LaVine hasn't even reached his prime yet. This kid could be a 20+ppg scorer for us an maybe even an All Star in the weak East. KEEP HIM.

[Repeat 3-peat]

A 1+1 deal is good for both sides.

[johnnyvann840]

There's KC contradicting himself AGAIN. This is the opposite of what he said yesterday or a couple of days ago. Anyway, sounds like the Bulls are going to be idiots about this just like they were last year around this time with Felicio.

Jesus. Let's hope they don't offer him anymore than Niko got last year, because Zach isn't worth half of what Niko is right now. In fact, I wish we still had Niko on the deal he is on.

KC, is reporting news as he gets it.

How does that equal contradicting himself? There could be multiple sources in the FO with multiple opinions on what to do with Zach. That's just one example of how KC might be coming up variations to an already reported story.

Secondly, what Bulls did with Niko is how they have ALWAYS handled FA / RFA negotiations.

Starting with Nocioni, Deng....et al. The players agents have to come up with a market offer. And then, the Bulls will make their decision. It's sound logic.

If the player is someone that the Bulls organization cares about, then they'll make an offer and the player can still go test the market:

Deng ( second contract, we correctly offered 3 for 30 Million)
Taj ( we made the correct offer. Taj refused. That's ok.)
Niko ( we made the offer. Niko couldn't get a better offer from the market).

Doesn't matter. He's just a mouthpiece for the FO anyway. Great gig and I don't blame him.

Besides, I was mistaken, it was Nick Friedell who said that the Bulls would just let Zach go out and get an offer and then decide to match or not. KC just says whatever the FO tells him to say, whether it's true or not.

[Chi]

It's a shame Bulls fans still don't recognize that elite talent combined with elite work ethic Never fails...

I challenge anyone to please name me the player (or players) who had both and was still a bust...

Zach Lavine is about to TAKE OFF... He'll be a surprise to 99% of Chicago fans who can't recognize talent. The same way Bradley Beal, CJ and Oladipo were. We've got the next one...


And Beal is NOT his ceiling... Vince Carter may not even be his ceiling...

[Houston_Bulls]

Personally, I would let him walk for anything more than $8M per year. I know that is unrealistic, so I guess the number is more like $14M, which for the level of player he is and the impact he has is a GROSS overpay. Look, we aren't paying for him to win the dunk contest, or to be the highest jumper. We want winning basketball players. Players that help you on the scoreboard and not just on highlight reels.

What scares me is that management will get so locked on Lavine that they miss the opportunities to develop other players. The Bulls have some wings who have a lot less potential, but might turn into productive and cheap players. Guys like Nwaba and Valentine have the makings of very solid role players.

[Chi]

Lavine was picked 13th not 5th and there isnt one player on the roster with a higher ceiling than zach lavine

I believe Lauri has a higher ceiling

He's the only 1 with that potential...

[blicka]

Does gerald green have the ability to create his own shot? No

Does gerald green have the playmaking ability like lavine has? No

Does gerald green do anything good besides jump high and catch n shoot? No

There's a reason gerald green has been on 7-8 teams in his career.

Like I've said in many other threads lavine does have to improve his defensive awareness,bball iq and cut back the questionable kobe shot taking but these weirdo bulls fans hate of him is group think herd mentality.

Meanwhile lavine is currently working his butt off to accomplish his goal of being an all star

not fair to judge a young raw player who has had 4 different coaches in his 4 years in the nba

Shot creation is far and away the most overrated skill in basketball, what matters is efficiency. Lavine has some nice skills, his "potential" is what scares me. Evan Turner and Andrew Wiggins are dripping with basketball talent, yet neither has done anything to merit their absurd contracts. Both guys have amassed fortunes by showing just enough to trick gullible teams into handing them big contracts.

1st let me say wiggins has ALWAYS been overrated. He has athletic ability/physical tools but low motor,no play making ability,no handles,no dog in him nothing. Another prospect that was all hype I was saying years ago embiid looked better than wiggins when they were at kansas

As far as the bolded,I disagree the ability to get your own shot is never overrated. Systems and specific plays aren't gonna always work.You need players who can isolate and get to the line or create offense on their own.

As far as the efficiency goes

Lavine averaged 14 ppg shot 45% fg 12 fga and 39% 3's(4 attempts) in 28 mins his 2nd year

Lavine averaged 19 ppg shot 46% fg 15 fga 39% 3's(7 attempts) in 37 mins his 3rd year

Rookie year and last year returning from an acl injury were the only times he wasn't efficient.Bulls fans are way too hard on lavine and I think outside the 24 games he played for the bulls a lot of fans haven't really watched him. They just check the advanced stats

[WindyCityBorn]

I'm not sure what folks would have expected the media narrative to be on this one at this point.

There's no denying that if Lavine came back at the top of his game, things would be different. In some ways it was best-case scenario. He played below expectations and gave a little concern with some knee pain. If those didn't happen, there'd be no way we'd have a shot for a decent or 1+1 deal, which is ideal.

Seems like he definitely still wants to be here so I think a deal that satisfies both sides will be reached.

There won't be any "deal reached". Bulls are either going to match Lavine's best offer he gets from another team, or they won't. It's really that simple.

WRONG. The article said the Bulls will give him a good faith offer and if he wants more he will have to go oUT and get an offer sheet. They are not pushing him out like you want. So they will offer him a contract. Don't get giddy about the idea of trashing him like you have done Potter yet. You probably won't get that opportunity...

[contestedlayups]

All of this hate about Zach Lavine needs to relax a bit. Coming back from a torn ACL is nothing to sneeze at. What I saw from Lavine was a player trying to be the playmaker that the Bulls need, and rust was a major factor for him. An entire season is needed to make an appropriate assessment on Lavine's fit with the Bulls.

[musiqsoulchild]

Personally, I would let him walk for anything more than $8M per year. I know that is unrealistic, so I guess the number is more like $14M, which for the level of player he is and the impact he has is a GROSS overpay. Look, we aren't paying for him to win the dunk contest, or to be the highest jumper. We want winning basketball players. Players that help you on the scoreboard and not just on highlight reels.

What scares me is that management will get so locked on Lavine that they miss the opportunities to develop other players. The Bulls have some wings who have a lot less potential, but might turn into productive and cheap players. Guys like Nwaba and Valentine have the makings of very solid role players.

This has never been an issue with the organization. They are ruthless is moving on from players who are not performing.

The only 2 times they wavered from that philosophy was with Derrick and Noah. For obvious reasons.

[RSP83]

Lavine is one of them guys that even if he can create with the ball and has elite athleticism, you are still not sure if he'll figure it out. I think he's a good player, just don't expect to be what he's not, he's not the first guy you lock in long term when you don't have a foundation yet. I think it's clear that James Harden tier player is way out of his range, Lavine can practice as hard as he wants, he just doesn't have it bball IQ wise. He can score though and not a knucklehead like a JR Smith or Nick Young... he's a good enough scorer to be reliable third option on championship team. But we don't need that right now, and I think Lavine sees himself as an alpha, which we don't want. If we can get him to sign to 3 year 40 million, that might be fine, but don't match max offer from othe teams.

[WindyCityBorn]

Zach will be back unless some team offers a max which I doubt. He is young and we are a long way from contention. He fits a huge need for wing scoring.