Lesson Bulls must learn from Zach LaVine and his virtually immovable contract

The Chicago Bulls are finally embarking on a long-needed rebuild. They traded DeMar DeRozan and Alex Caruso this offseason. The Bulls front office would love to deal Zach LaVine, but they cannot find a taker. It seems impossible that no team wants a two-time All-Star under 30 years old. LaVine is an elite scorer, but there are serious questions about his impact on winning.

Chicago wants Josh Giddey and Coby White playing the majority of the minutes in the backcourt this season. The franchise hopes they found their starters of the present and future, but LaVine is blocking that path. He has two years plus a player option remaining on his contract, so the Bulls cannot just bench him. The All-Star must play well enough to boost his trade value.

This problem is not going away anytime soon. The NBA’s new spending restrictions have put a squeeze on franchises. No team is eager to take back LaVine’s massive contract, which should teach the Bulls’ front office a crucial lesson.

Bulls cannot give a max contract to another non-superstar

LaVine got a massive five-year $215 million max contract in 2022. The young star wanted the money, and the Bulls agreed. He was just entering his prime after back-to-back All-Star campaigns. LaVine also helped the Bulls make the playoffs in 2022 for the first time since 2017. The Bucks dominated their first-round series series, and Chicago knew LaVine was not piloting a serious title contender.

The Bulls have missed the playoffs two straight years and the injuries are piling up for LaVine. He is coming off a foot surgery that limited him to just 25 games last season and has suffered multiple knee injuries in his ten years in the NBA.

LaVine was an All-Star, but he never made All-NBA. He never became a superstar. Now, the Bulls owe him $138 million over the next three years, assuming he accepts his $48.9 million player option in the 2026-27 season. No team wants that money on their books eating up 30 percent of their cap space. LaVine was never a max player, but the Bulls paid him to be one.

Keeping talent is crucial in the NBA. There are only so many players that can drop 25 points every night, but overpaying is the fastest way to bottom out. The Chicago Bulls are now facing a total rebuild and are unlikely to make the playoffs for the remainder of the decade. They only have themselves to blame, and this lesson must carry with them in future negotiations.

The Chicago Bulls are in an impossible position with Zach LaVine. They want him off their books, but cannot find any team willing to take his contract. The Bulls do not want to part with multiple picks to incentivize another franchise. It may be the only answer for the rebuilding franchise. Either way, Chicago will be paying for this mistake for years to come.