Bulls reportedly sign All-Star Zach LaVine to max contract extension, at five years, $215 million
CHICAGO (CBS) -- All Star guard Zach LaVine will be staying with the Chicago Bulls, reportedly agreeing to a 5-year, $215 million maximum contract.
The agreement was first reported by The Athletic's Shams Charania, and has also been confirmed by multiple other local and national NBA and Bulls reporters.
LaVine averaged 24.4 points and made his second straight All-Star team last year. It ended with his first trip to the playoffs in his eighth year as a pro. The Bulls lost in the first round to Milwaukee in five games.
The Bulls went 46-36 and made the playoffs for the first time since 2017 following a major makeover, with DeMar DeRozan and LaVine leading the way. Chicago got off to a big start and finished with its best record since the 2014-15 team went 50-32 in former coach Tom Thibodeau's final season.
The Bulls also went from leading the Eastern Conference to finishing sixth, losing 15 of their final 22 regular-season games. They dealt with a long list of injuries, making it tough for them to develop continuity and compete with the best teams.
The past season wasn't exactly an easy one for LaVine. He dealt with a thumb injury early and was in and out of the lineup the final few months because of a left knee injury.
LaVine had platelet-rich plasma therapy, a cortisone injection and fluid drained from his knee in Los Angeles before the All-Star break. He had arthroscopic surgery on it last month.
The Bulls expect he'll be healthy for the upcoming season.
The signing of LaVine to a max contract comes one day after the Bulls agreed to a two-year, $6.6 million contract with two-time All Star center Andre Drummond, who most recently played for the Brooklyn Nets.
Drummond has struggled to find a permanent home since leaving the Pistons midway through the 2019-20 season. The center has played with four teams over the course of the last two seasons, spending time with the Cavaliers, Lakers, Sixers and Nets, most recently. Last season, Drummond averaged 11.8 points, 10.3 rebounds and 1.0 blocks in 24 games with Brooklyn. The veteran will figure to see depth minutes off the bench behind Nikola Vucevic.