Zach LaVine signs five-year, $215.2 million deal with Bulls in free agency

Chicago Bulls guard Zach LaVine is going back to the Windy City on a five-year, $215.2 million deal, per Shams Charania. LaVine took one day to make a decision, but ultimately couldn’t turn down the big financial commitment Chicago made.

LaVine is entering his eighth season in the NBA, while also likely entering his prime as a player. He’s morphed from a high-flying dunker into an all-around offensive threat, averaging 25.7 points per game over the last three seasons on 47/39/83 shooting splits. He was named an All-Star in each of the last two seasons.

One big knock on LaVine has been durability. While he’s been great when on the court, he has not played a full season since 2015-16 due to various injuries. He’s coming off a procedure this summer to clean up a knee injury that was bothering him last season. LaVine’s growth as a player, along with his current age and trajectory, justify this contract. However, it’ll be interesting to see if he has another gear to reach that next echelon of stardom which can propel his team to a championship.