Chicago Bulls: LaVine wants a ‘lucrative’ contract extension next summer

The way that the Chicago Bulls star 25-year-old shooting guard Zach LaVine is playing of late should ensure that he nabs his first career NBA All-Star selection this year. Having another career year with the Bulls, LaVine looks to be well on his way not just to establishing his stardom on a league-wide basis, but garnering multiple individual honors including All-Star and All-NBA.

LaVine is looking to also guide the Bulls to the playoffs this year. If LaVine does lead this still rebuilding Bulls team to the playoffs this year, it would be his first career playoff appearance in six seasons in the NBA.

The motivation for LaVine to take his game to new heights this season also extends beyond making the playoffs for the first time, along with individual honors like All-Star and All-NBA. He will be up for a sizable contract extension come next offseason.

Given his team friendly contract that is still worth less than $20 million annually, his pay day will be coming up soon. That will change in the near future by all indications.

Future of LaVine and the Chicago Bulls

According to a report from Joe Cowley of the Chicago Sun-Times over the weekend, LaVine is playing both to nab his first career All-Star bid along with a “lucrative” contract extension come next summer. If the Bulls new front office regime does want to build this team around the elevating star LaVine, then signing him to a contract extension next summer could be a good move.

LaVine is definitely playing at a level that is far beyond the value of his current contract. He’s started in all 29 games he’s played in so far this season for the Bulls, averaging around 36 minutes on the floor per game. And he’s averaged 28.9 points per game, 5.4 rebounds, 5.1 assists, 1.2 steals, and 0.4 blocks. LaVine shot a very efficient 51.8 percent from the field, 42.9 percent from beyond the arc, and 86.2 percent from the free-throw line.

All of that has amounted to a career-best 4.3 box plus/minus rating, 1.6 value over replacement player rating, .158 win shares per 48 minutes, 3.4 total win shares, 64.7 true shooting percentage, 117 offensive rating/113 defensive rating, and a 23.0 player efficiency rating.

What should also help LaVine’s case both in nabbing his first career All-Star selection this season and getting a sizable contract extension in the near future is the improving success for the Bulls in the win column. That’s a huge difference between this season and the past three for LaVine playing in the Windy City.

LaVine and the Bulls now sport a record of 13-16 following their solid 122-114 win over the Sacramento Kings at home at the United Center on Feb. 20. Next up for LaVine and the Bulls is a meeting with the Houston Rockets on the road on Feb. 22.