Bulls: Ranking the 5 Bulls Facing the Most Playoff Pressure

2. Zach LaVine

Zach LaVine will be a free agent this upcoming offseason. He is eligible for a five-year, $200 million deal this summer if he re-signs with the Bulls. He can get a four-year $160 million deal if he signs with another team.

He has been battling knee pain since early January but has played through it. Clearly the team needs him, but sitting out would’ve also hampered his free agency leverage. LaVine has made it clear that he understands what this season means for his contract talks in the offseason and is looking to get paid.

“Free agency is going to be a big milestone for me,” LaVine told Yahoo Sports. “It’s my first time going into it really being [an] unrestricted free agent. I dealt with it being restricted before so it’s a whole new experience.”

Milwaukee has premiere guards who also play quality defense. If LaVine’s game is worth that max contract, he will show it during the first-round. LaVine will be getting star money if he takes what he is eligible for. His play has to match that check or Chicago – or any team – will have a hard time writing that check.