Bulls Projected to Re-Sign Zach LaVine, Lose Ex 1st-Round Wing to West Foe

Getty Images Zach LaVine

The Chicago Bulls are set to embark on their first postseason run in five years. The team has drawn as tough of a first-round matchup as possible in the defending NBA champion Milwaukee Bucks.

The Bucks won all four meetings against the Bulls during the regular season by an average of 14.75 points per game. Chicago will obviously have their hands full in the first round and it won’t help that they will be shorthanded since they won’t have Lonzo Ball.

Regardless of how things play out in the first round, the Bulls have to feel like this season has been a success. A big key to the team’s success this season was the moves they made last offseason, the key for the team to take the next step will be the upcoming offseason.

Bulls Free Agents

This Summer the Bulls have three free agents on their roster that they’ll have to make a decision on. The biggest of course is Zach LaVine, but Derrick Jones Jr. and 22-year-old Troy Brown Jr. will also be free agents.

In a new article by Bleacher Reports, Zach Buckley discussed what he thinks the Bulls will do with their three free agents. In his predictions, he says Brown will sign elsewhere during free agency.

He logged just 16 minutes a night this season and never made a loud argument for more action. His three-point shooting perked up a tiny bit (35.3 percent), but his field-goal percentage backtracked (41.9). The stat sheet shows no discernible top-shelf areas in his game.

At 22 years old, he’s still young enough for someone to want to take on his developmental project, but it should be a team on a different timeline than Chicago.

Prediction: Brown signs with the Houston Rockets.

It certainly wouldn’t be a surprise if the Bulls let Brown walk. His play has been uneven at best this season and Chicago could save that money to address other needs. Brown would also make sense in Houston with the young roster that they have.

In the article, Buckley does predict that the Bulls will re-sign both LaVine and Jones. Chicago has made it clear that they intend to re-sign LaVine, but their intentions on Jones are uncertain. It’s possible that the Bulls will let him walk if the money can be used to address other needs like adding more interior size and depth.

Crucial Summer

The Bulls have definitely had a nice bounce-back season, but if the team wants to take the next step then this upcoming free agency period will be important. Chicago will need to address the weaknesses on their roster if they hope to become a legit contender in a competitive Eastern Conference.

Another important aspect of this Summer for the Bulls will be the NBA draft. The team is currently projected to have the 19th pick in the first round and could use that pick as another way to add a key contributor. The Bulls could also potentially use that pick as a trade piece to add another star.

The front office did a great job last Summer for the Bulls to get them back to the playoffs. This Summer will be just as important if they want to take the next step.