Now that the regular season has come to a close, and the Chicago Bulls did indeed fall short of the playoffs, all eyes are turning to free agency in the Windy City.
Because not only are they out after top free-agent names like Lonzo Ball, but they’ve also got a number of players headed for their own free agency too.
Fourth-year forward Lauri Markkanen heads that list, and his future with the team is largely up in the air.
He finished the regular season averaging 13.6 points and 5.3 rebounds per game while knocking down over 40 percent of his 5.8 three-point attempts nightly.
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An Up-and-Down Year
The optimism surrounding Lauri Markkanen’s future, both as a talent and with the Chicago Bulls, has taken a serious slide over the last year and change.
Walking into last offseason, there was hope that the two sides would agree to an extension. But the December deadline came and went, with Markkanen and Chicago reportedly millions of dollars apart in talks.
Still, with Zach LaVine blossoming into a star of his own, and rookie forward Patrick Williams impressing all the same, the Bulls stuck with Markkanen, starting him in 24 consecutive games.
Markkanen averaged 17.4 points and 5.8 rebounds in that span, which was littered with absences due to injuries.
The last of those came in the first game after the trade deadline, where Chicago struck a blockbuster deal to land two-time All-Star Nikola Vucevic, and veteran big Daniel Theis.
After one embarrassing blowout loss to the San Antonio Spurs, head coach Billy Donovan opted to change things up, and it was Markkanen who suffered because of it.
The 24-year old would go on to start just two more games over the season’s final 27 games. One, because of an absence in the starting lineup, and one in the season finale—a game where both the team’s All-Stars rested.
It very well may be his last game period as a Chicago Bull.
Markkanen Sounds Off
Any time he’s been asked this season, Lauri Markkanen has been dismissive of his upcoming free agency and remained focused on helping and contributing to the Chicago Bulls.
But he took the long-awaited candid approach in Monday during his exit interview (via NBC Sports) with reporters:
My thing is I think I’ve always been a team-first guy. And I think now it’s time to look at the business side of the game. I feel like I’m only 23 years old and I have a lot of basketball ahead of me. It’s a good opportunity to look what’s out there for me. I can be a focal point. I think I have a lot more to offer.
And as far as the extension he turned down in December, Markkanen has no regrets:
I don’t have any regrets turning (the extension) down. I think I did the right decision. I have a lot of basketball ahead of me. I can do a lot of different stuff on the court. I’m confident in my abilities.
So, he’ll test the waters this offseason, and allow teams to approach him with offer sheets in order to gauge his value. The San Antonio Spurs have already been reported as an interested team.
Otherwise, the field of suitors remains unclear.
But for the Chicago Bulls to bring Lauri Markkanen back as anything more than a potential trade asset, at this point, would likely be a surprise to all parties involved.
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Bulls’ Lauri Markkanen Gives Update on Pending Free Agency