Is Zach LaVine Worth the Max?

The Bulls have a big decision to make this offseason involving star Zach LaVine. After a huge breakout season last year, LaVine has been solid this season but has battled through a lingering knee injury. LaVine is obviously a valuable asset to Chicago and someone we want to keep around, but the big question is if offering him a max contract puts us in the best position for future success. Let’s look at the arguments for and against it. 

Pros to giving LaVine the max:

LaVine is a top 20 player when healthy. His elite scoring ability combined with DeRozan’s gives us the ability to compete with any team when we are at full strength. While he is asking for a lot of money, he is a strong centerpiece to build around and has been a great leader for this young Bulls team. He kept a positive attitude during the GarPax era and worked on his game, and his development has been amazing for this franchise. His all star season last year with his 27/5/5 statline gave the fanbase hope for the first time in years. His numbers took a slight dip this year sharing the ball with DeRozan, but 24/4/4 is still a great statline. While his playoff numbers have been underwhelming so far, he is not 100% healthy. I think if he gets fully healthy he can be a threat during the regular season and the playoffs. 

Cons to giving LaVine the max:

The biggest issue with giving LaVine a max extension is injury concerns. Coming off a knee injury in a contract year is not really ideal. There is still a chance that LaVine may have offseason surgery, and it is a bit of a gamble to lock someone up to a deal fresh off a surgical procedure. In addition to that, this is not LaVine’s first rodeo with knee injuries. He tore his ACL back in 2017 and got it reconstructed, and while he has recovered nicely from that injury, whenever you have multiple surgeries you are bound to lose a step in athleticism and explosiveness. His style of play of limited defense hurts the team’s potential at times, although LaVine has made improvements as a defender.  His flashes of improvement on that end do provide hope for the future. Another issue is that giving LaVine all that guaranteed money basically bets on this current core being good enough to win a title. It will be harder to make upgrades with a max given to LaVine as we will be more cash strapped. 

Verdict: 

While there is a legitimate debate to whether he is worth as much as he is asking for, the Bulls roster is currently built to win now. As long as LaVine has no further complications with his knee this offseason, I do not think there is really a better alternative right now. Letting LaVine walk would create a major void on offense, and there isn’t much on the free agent or trade market to replace him currently. I think with the position the Bulls are in, the best option is to give it to him.

What do you think the Bulls should do with Zach LaVine this offseason? Let me know in the comments.