Bulls Match Kings’ Offer Sheet For Zach LaVine

As expected, the Bulls have officially matched the offer sheet the Kings presented to Zach LaVine, the team announced on Twitter.

The contract, which is fully guaranteed with no options, will pay LaVine $78MM over the next four years. It also includes financial protections for the Bulls in case LaVine experiences further problems with his surgically repaired left knee. Under NBA rules, the Bulls cannot trade LaVine without his consent or send him to the Kings under any circumstances for an entire year, tweets salary cap expert Albert Nahmad.

“We were excited last summer when we got a dynamic athlete in Zach LaVine through the trade,” said Bulls executive John Paxson, “and we’re excited now that we get to keep him.” (Twitter link from K.C. Johnson of The Chicago Tribune.)

LaVine was the centerpiece of a deal that sent Jimmy Butler to the Timberwolves on the night of the 2017 draft. Chicago was willing to gamble on LaVine even though he was coming off a torn ACL. He sat out the first half of his first season with the Bulls, then averaged 16.7 PPG in 24 games after recovering.

Chicago appears to still be functioning as an over-the-cap team after matching LaVine’s offer, but it could get up to about $19MM in space by waiving Sean Kilpatrick, Paul Zipser (non-guaranteed) and Julyan Stone while keeping David Nwaba‘s cap hold on its books. That would also involve renouncing all the team’s exceptions, including three traded player exceptions.
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