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

[kulaz3000]

Yes, which is why I made that point.

I'm just saying that issue was there. Regardless if it was just a 20 game sample size or not, I don't envision Lavine being a number 1 option/ball handler type of player, so I'd prefer he play off the ball more if and when he is back next season.

Why does he need to play off the ball though even if Lauri cements his position as the number option on the offensive end? Lauri is a forward and Zach is a guard, so naturally Zach is going to have the ball in his hands more often. What I want to see is those two being involved in the pick and roll more often, so they can be options together.

I think they are a compelling duo possibility and for it to end after 20 games would be a real shame. I think Lauri would be better off as a player with someone dynamic offensively as Zach and vice versa. I think to be a great player, you need someone else who is really good right there with you to untap that greatness.

He needs to be off the ball more because I don't think he's a good decision maker with the ball in his hands. That's where you start seeing him forcing shots, or breaking the offense to take a wild shot.

If he starts showing better decision making that's different, but up till now in his career he hasn't. They tried him at pg/primary ball handler early in his career in Minny and it was a bad.

His rookie season as a 19 year old. You're not wrong though, he isn't ideal as a primary ball handler, but he is a player who can create his own shots, and we need more not less players who can create shots for himself.

[RedBulls23]

Why does he need to play off the ball though even if Lauri cements his position as the number option on the offensive end? Lauri is a forward and Zach is a guard, so naturally Zach is going to have the ball in his hands more often. What I want to see is those two being involved in the pick and roll more often, so they can be options together.

I think they are a compelling duo possibility and for it to end after 20 games would be a real shame. I think Lauri would be better off as a player with someone dynamic offensively as Zach and vice versa. I think to be a great player, you need someone else who is really good right there with you to untap that greatness.

He needs to be off the ball more because I don't think he's a good decision maker with the ball in his hands. That's where you start seeing him forcing shots, or breaking the offense to take a wild shot.

If he starts showing better decision making that's different, but up till now in his career he hasn't. They tried him at pg/primary ball handler early in his career in Minny and it was a bad.

His rookie season as a 19 year old. You're not wrong though, he isn't ideal as a primary ball handler, but he is a player who can create his own shots, and we need more not less players who can create shots for himself.

They played him at PG during his 2nd season, and for the bold you seem to be arguing a point that I'm not making.

[LordBaldric]

GarPax should sign him for 2 more years just to be a tank commander. Zach drags his teams down big time, and the Bulls need way more talent from the draft.

[PrimzyBulls81]

Lets ask Philly if they trade Zhaire Smith for Lavine in S&T move
Dunn, Smith, Hutchinson, Markannen, Carter --- I would love this lineup, great on D , very very capable on Offense

[SensiBull]

Peep game.

This is how you work through the decision on RFA's with stats and a resume in LaVine's range.

Watch on YouTube

We'll be having this same discussion in 3 years about Bagl, JJJ, Ayton, WCJ and Bamba.

[SensiBull]

There's more to it than tossing max money at a 'decent' or 'good' player, like pennies into a wising well, in hopes that he might later earn it.


This is not Prom King, or 'the most likely to...' high school awards.

[johnnyvann840]

His rookie season as a 19 year old. You're not wrong though, he isn't ideal as a primary ball handler, but he is a player who can create his own shots, and we need more not less players who can create shots for himself.

"Creating his own shot". We can't just throw that line out there like it's some great thing. The last thing we want is the ball in Zach's hands a lot and him "creating his own shot", or bad shot I should say. This works about once every ten games. I keep seeing people bring up the "Minnesota game" where he took over down the stretch and won the game for us. That was ONE freaking game out of 24. I think it actually happened one more time even though we lost the game. He got hot shooting the ball and made some crazy shots and had a huge game. This is where the problem lies. He creates mostly bad shots for himself. That is why he brings teams down. He likes to pound the rock into the ground and then jack up a wild shot. He's never been a very good facilitator with the ball in his hands and has always been a poor decision maker.

RedBulls is right, he needs to move into more of an off the ball player where he can use his good 3 pt shooting to actually help the team. But, he is not the guy we want running this offense or thinking he is the man and this is his team. This is just another reason why we cannot pay him big money. He will think it's his team and feel like he needs to justify his salary and that will be the end of this team. Maybe LordBaldric is on to something. If we really want to lose a lot of games then just put the ball in Lavine's hands and let him "create his own shots" all he wants. It would almost guarantee us another top ten pick.

[johnnyvann840]

Peep game.

This is how you work through the decision on RFA's with stats and a resume in LaVine's range.

Watch on YouTube

We'll be having this same discussion in 3 years about Bagl, JJJ, Ayton, WCJ and Bamba.

They are almost polar opposite players when it comes to stats, though. Lavine has big counting stats when it comes to PPG and his 3 pt % is pretty good (or at least above average). His raw counting stats look more impressive than his impact. Lavine can put up 23 PP36 and his team will still get it's ass beaten by 13 PP100 possessions and his on/off numbers are horrid. Smart is the opposite. His raw counting stats are not very impressive and his shooting %'s are low, but because of his great defense and intangibles, he is a positive impact player who helps his team win games on the scoreboard. His on/off numbers and impact stats are highly positive.

[rtblues]

So July 1st FA begins...

Yep! It's Round II - Free Agency!

June 24: Deadline for restricted free agents to exercise player options
June 29: Deadline to exercise player, team or early-termination options
July 1: Free agency begins after midnight ET
July 6: Moratorium ends at noon ET; signings and trades can be made official
July 13: Deadline to withdraw qualifying offers to restricted free agents

[ryannik09]

Zach Lavine is the dunking version of Jamal Crawford and people here really want to give anywhere from $15 million a year to a max deal. That is insane.

[Truebiscuit]

Might be blasphemy to you, but some of us actively believe LaVine can be a big part of our winning future. Enough to gamble on.

That is fine. Believe that. But why would you want to pay more than you have to? It would be like going to the store to buy a pair of shoes and they are marked at $140 but you call the manager over and say... "hey, I really like those shoes but I want to give you $200 for them". Who would do that? It's the same damn thing only on a mega scale comparatively.

I get what you're saying, but I think the sentiment on the other side of the argument is why should we let another team dictate terms and potentially risk losing him? Nobody thinks he deserves a max; dude is coming off a torn ACL and a season in which he played 24 games, clearly fatigued at the end.

[Clint Eastwood]

Zach Lavine is the dunking version of Jamal Crawford and people here really want to give anywhere from $15 million a year to a max deal. That is insane.

I don’t think anyone wants to give him. Max deal. But ill tell you what, if he is the dunking version of jamaal Crawford and in his prime, he is certainly worth 15 mil in todays nba salary structure. Crawford had a very valuable career as a big time scorer.

[MisterRoy]

I don't think anyone is going to max him out. I think the Bulls will take care of him. We don't want to lose him for nothing.

[Ctownbulls]

Zach Lavine is the dunking version of Jamal Crawford and people here really want to give anywhere from $15 million a year to a max deal. That is insane.

But he posted videos of him working out on instagram!

[MrSparkle]

Zach Lavine is the dunking version of Jamal Crawford and people here really want to give anywhere from $15 million a year to a max deal. That is insane.

I don’t think anyone wants to give him. Max deal. But ill tell you what, if he is the dunking version of jamaal Crawford and in his prime, he is certainly worth 15 mil in todays nba salary structure. Crawford had a very valuable career as a big time scorer.

Agreed. $15m for a dunking Crawford sounds good to me.

But there's concern for the mix of 'dunking' and ACL history. Atleast you worried less about Jamal (who had an early ACL repair, but always played a safe perimeter-oriented game). Half of Zach's game was supposed to be above-the-rim. It's a catch-22: you want that part of his game to come back, because it makes him more special than Jamal, but it also raises the risk of re-injury.

[Truebiscuit]

Oladipo and Harris signed new deals that average out to 21 million per year over four years. I like Lavine and think he'll improve but he is NOT as good as those players. So something in the real of four years at around 15-18 million per season should be fine.

People forget that while Oladipo had a phenomenal season this past year with Indiana, him and LaVine had a very similar career up until that point. This was a person on his third team that didn’t live up to his hype (second overall pick) until last season so i think LaVine could get in the ballpark of Dipos deal. I’m not saying it’s a good deal or he will be worth it, but with the space the Bulls have he is worth the risk IF it isn’t a max deal.

Not to mention Oladipo is 2 years older.

[Truebiscuit]

B. Wiggins has played remarkably better than LaVine in 2 of his past 4 seasons making a more solid case for any debates about 'potential' than LaVine has, including having played 80+ games all four of his years in the league.

He has? That's news to me.

[Chi town]

Zach Lavine is the dunking version of Jamal Crawford and people here really want to give anywhere from $15 million a year to a max deal. That is insane.

I don’t think anyone wants to give him. Max deal. But ill tell you what, if he is the dunking version of jamaal Crawford and in his prime, he is certainly worth 15 mil in todays nba salary structure. Crawford had a very valuable career as a big time scorer.

Exactly. People forget how good JC was and Bieber the new cap pays players.

[Chi town]

Oladipo and Harris signed new deals that average out to 21 million per year over four years. I like Lavine and think he'll improve but he is NOT as good as those players. So something in the real of four years at around 15-18 million per season should be fine.

People forget that while Oladipo had a phenomenal season this past year with Indiana, him and LaVine had a very similar career up until that point. This was a person on his third team that didn’t live up to his hype (second overall pick) until last season so i think LaVine could get in the ballpark of Dipos deal. I’m not saying it’s a good deal or he will be worth it, but with the space the Bulls have he is worth the risk IF it isn’t a max deal.

No way!!! Dipo is older and he doesn’t have an ack tear.

Lavine should get Shroeder money. 15M per
Not to mention Oladipo is 2 years older.

[Truebiscuit]

GarPax should sign him for 2 more years just to be a tank commander. Zach drags his teams down big time, and the Bulls need way more talent from the draft.

Are you a Wolves fan and just trolling us on LaVine/Dunn?