LAS VEGAS (AP) Zach LaVine is staying with the Chicago Bulls, after the team matched a four-year, $80 million offer sheet that he got from the Sacramento Kings.
The Bulls made the announcement Sunday, two days after the Kings and LaVine agreed to the offer terms. LaVine was a restricted free agent, which meant the Bulls had right of first refusal. It was expected that the Bulls would match, and now they have.
LaVine has missed 91 of a possible 162 games over the past two seasons because of injuries, and the Bulls will have some language in this contract protecting them if his surgically repaired left knee remains problematic. He appeared in only 24 games for the Bulls last season, averaging 16.7 points on 38 percent shooting.
”Zach showed a relentless work ethic in rehabbing his ACL injury to return to the court, and he has a visible passion for the game of basketball,” Bulls vice president of basketball operations John Paxson said.
”We know that those attributes, along with his honed skills, will make him an impact player in this league for years to come. We’re thrilled to keep Zach on this Bulls team moving forward.”
The Bulls acquired LaVine a year ago, as part of the trade that sent Jimmy Butler from Chicago to Minnesota.
”We’re excited now that we get to keep him,” Paxson said.
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