05-08-2021, 11:31 AM
(05-08-2021, 09:56 AM)DanSchwartzgan Wrote: "widely reported" means a guy at Bleacher Report named A. Sherrod Blakely (who is based in Boston) wrote a story and other outlets (as often happens) picked up a line and created an "expected to forego" story. Here is the line:
"That's why rival executives anticipate the Bulls will try to lock up LaVine with a contract extension (he will make $19.5 million this season and next) but know he'll likely let his deal lapse, become an unrestricted free agent and sign what will be a more lucrative multiyear max pact."
There is no mention in Blakely's story of the possibility of renegotiating LaVine's 21/22 deal and max extending off of that. If fact, I'm not sure, based on the story he wrote, that he's even aware of the possibility. The story isn't really about LaVine's future with the team other than to say the trade for Vucevic sends a clear message Chicago wants to win. The impact of the Vuc. deal on Markkanen gets much more word count than the impact on LaVine.
He covered all angles. You just don´t like that it doesn´t comfirm your own opinion. The Bulls can only offer him a large max extension, if he makes an All-NBA team or they waive Markkanen, Satoransky and Young. So that makes the 23rd best team in the league even worse. Neither scenario is very likely and the other extension options are simply not financial worth it. Furthermore he covered the penny-pinching history of the Bulls ownership, so it´s not even clear they even want to offer Lavine a (super) max extension.
All in all it´s more likely, Lavine will put in a trade request.