1) Chicago Bulls value contracts in 20-21
Zach LaVine, Shooting Guard
As a whole, the Bulls are a pretty deep team right now at the shooting guard position. That depth at the two guard can help spill over to fill a previously identified wing depth need in the rotation too this season. The plethora of depth at the two guard for the Bulls is largely thanks to what standout shooting guard Zach LaVine, shooting guard/wing Denzel Valentine, Temple, etc. are giving them consistently early in this regular season slate.
About the closest thing to a true superstar that the Bulls have boasted on their roster since trading star shooting guard/small forward Jimmy Butler off to the Minnesota Timberwolves back during the 2017 offseason is the former UCLA Bruin LaVine. He’s also having a career year so far this season, well on his way to garnering his first All-Star nod (if that’s a thing this season).
LaVine really is continuing to take his game to new heights so far this season. That includes him coming off a career-year again during the 2019-20 campaign.
He’s played in all 14 games for the Bulls so far this season (starting in all of them), and averaging around 36 minutes on the floor per game. He’s averaged a career-best 27.4 points per game, 4.8 rebounds, 5.3 assists, 1.4 steals, and 0.6 blocks. And LaVine shot a solid 49.8 percent from the field, 38.7 percent from beyond the arc, and 86.2 percent from the free-throw line.
That all has amounted to LaVine registering a solid 2.1 box plus/minus rating, 0.5 value over replacement player rating, career-best .134 win shares per 48 minutes, 1.4 total win shares, 114 offensive rating/113 defensive rating, 64.0 true shooting percentage, and 21.3 player efficiency rating. Both his per game stats and all-encompassing advanced metrics are showing the growth in LaVine’s game on both ends of the floor as he continues his ascent to true stardom this season.