Bulls swingman Zach LaVine didn’t meet with any other teams during free agency, Rob Schaefer of NBC Sports Chicago writes. The parties swiftly agreed to a five-year max deal with a player option in the final season.
“I went into the offseason with an open mind. I laid out my goals, just like I always have,” LaVine said. “And once I was able to meet with (GM) Marc (Eversley) and AK (Artūras Karnišovas) and they came to me with everything that I wanted, there was no other reason for me to go outside and look at any other teams. I think that would have been disrespectful on my end because they gave me everything that I asked for.”
We have more on the Bulls:
- Lonzo Ball is showing signs of progress after missing the second half of the season with a torn meniscus and bone bruise in his left knee, K.C. Johnson of NBC Sports Chicago relays. Coach Billy Donovan provided the update during an ESPN2 broadcast. “Every day he seems to be improving. I think that the progress he has made has been steady. He keeps showing that progress. And that’s really what we all hope to continue to see,” Donovan said. “We’re obviously all hopeful that it will happen faster. But he is making progress.”
- In the same interview, Donovan praised the signing of free agent guard Goran Dragic, who provides insurance in case Ball’s knee issues persist. “He has been in the league for a long time. He’s really, really smart. Gives you a level of experience back there,” Donovan said. “And he’s been in a lot of big games and has been around the league for a long time. You have great respect for how hard he competes and plays.”
- Justin Lewis, who was signed to a two-way contract, admitted that going undrafted was an unpleasant surprise, according to Darnell Mayberry of The Athletic. The former Marquette forward was an All-Big East First Team selection. “Sad. Upset. Frustrated. But I mean, I’ve got this opportunity now,” he said. “And the guys that got drafted got the same opportunity. So I feel like we’re back at ground zero and I’m ready to work and build up.”
Zach LaVine is a loyal player!
Unlike Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant.
Loyal to Money. Lewis has the body and skills to be a 4 but needs a lot of work. He’s not ready for prime time yet by any means. Working against PW in practice everyday should help both of them a ton.
He is very loyal to the $$$, right?
If CHI offered him less than the other teams he would have bolted faster than you can say bolt!
As he should be…? He’s been playing on a very team friendly contract for years now. He’s pushed our management to make moves and helps to recruit players. Loyalty goes both ways…we were pretty shi**y towards him last time. Lots of goes would have held a grudge about it…but he gave the new front office a chance. He puts in the work every off season and comes back improved every year. Some dudes get that first real contract and coast. It would have been disrespectful to not offer him the max and expect him to stay.
Bulls went into the offseason needing rim protection and shooting, they had the full mid level available, they addressed neither need and let free agents who would fit the needs go to other teams for easily beatable contracts, AK and Marc were told by ownership not to go into the luxury tax because the Reinsdorfs are pathetic owners who should absolutely be forced to sell, I am disgusted by this franchise and this offseason, may they lose every game and go bankrupt
That’s the ole team spirit!
Great arguments, we got a new silivan in our hands
Great arguments, we got a new silivan in our hands
Parx and Sillyman are Siamese twins with one brain.
Drummond should do just fine as a backup 5. There’s always Bradley for comic relief. Like I said before, With the guards they have nobody should have to play 40 minutes especially in the beginning. Lavine and Ball should be able to work up their knees to a respectable minutes level. What really concerns me is no reliable backup 4. A move I might like to see is The Bulls trading Coby White and Picking up Micic from the Thunder to replace him. Maybe involve a 3rd team where the Bulls get a 4 and Micic and some other team gets White and the Thunder get a draft pick. Just spitballing.
I think we are planning a Coby trade. We will resign him to a longer contract. Showcase him a little this year and even if he doesn’t improve at all locking him in for a longer contract will raise his trade value…but if we get lucky and Coby gets hot (which he usually does at some point…it’s too bad he’s not consistent) we sell high.
I had Justin Lewis as an end of 1st round guy, to the Heat actually. I assumed he didnt get drafted b/c he didnt want to sign a 2 way, and maybe teams didnt want to give him a guaranteed deal in the 2nd round, or that he orchestrated himself towards a situation he was looking for, like the Bulls? He gives them more depth at a position of need, although I still think they need a different type of option at that position, preferably someone who can space the floor around their defenders
Dragic gives them great depth, and also can help them around the guys they have, especially if Ball is out. People should know how I feel about him by now. I hope someday he comes home, and we see his Jersey in the rafters, but until then, I’m always a Goran Dragic fan, and just want to see him used correctly
isn’t Vucevic a rim protector of sorts?
He’s never been a rim protector. He’s always been spot up shooter. He doesn’t play all that well with his back to the basket so he’s not really a pick and roll guy. What he is, is a 20-10 guy every night who plays defense and rebounds. He doesn’t scare guys who drive to the hoop which is the definition of a rim protector. He plays team defense.
He was great with his back to the basket in Orlando ..wtf. He’s solid in the post. Or was. Maybe age is catching up to him or maybe he just had a bad year. But the dude was a goddamn beast in Orlando…let’s not rewrite history now just because he was bad last year.
I could see a couple of different options at the 4, with a couple of different styles at that position, making sense. Maybe Millsap, Juan Hernangomez as a spacer, or a scoring 4 like Jabari Parker. I would have gone for a pick and roll defending/rim protection big, I stead of Drummond who does neither of those things in NHS. Maybe Dwight, if they wanted someone that rebounds at that rate, or there are/were multiple cheap options that could do those things, and also arent ball stoppers, like Drummond
Simonovic could be the option there at the 4, but I actually think he might be more useful at smallball center the way he changed his body. He also hasnt spaced the floor much on summer league yet, although obviously that’s small sample size
I’m getting a new phone asap lol…what even is this?