While we all knew Zach LaVine was set to return to the Chicago Bulls on a five-year, $215 million max contract, the organization made it official on Thursday night.
Both Arturas Karnisovas and Marc Eversley were in attendance when LaVine put pen to paper, and the team gave us a closer look at that moment alongside a special message from LaVine:
“You know everything about Chicago is my home,” LaVine said in a video message shared of the Bulls’ social media account. “We got a lot of unfinished buisness. I’m so happy and so thankful. I’m ready to do this thing, man. Let’s do it.”
Check out the full video below:
Arturas Karnisovas also commented on LaVine’s decision to stick with the franchise, releasing in a statement that the Bulls look forward to “more great things from Zach, as he helps lead our team, both on and off the court” (h/t NBC Sports Chicago’s K.C. Johnson).
LaVine has continued to rise up the league ranks, giving Chicago the All-Star-caliber talent they have been craving since the Derrick Rose era. Just stepping into his prime at 27 years old, the Bulls will have LaVine in town for what should be the best basketball of his career, giving them a real building block for continued contention. And, as Karnisovas stated, LaVine’s growing stardom should prove immensely valuable on and off the court as the Bulls try to improve their roster and image.
I know this offseason has been a tad underwhelming, but locking LaVine in for the long haul was always the main goal. With that box checked, the Bulls can now continue to build on the significant progress they showed last season.
Glad to have you back, Zach!