As Zach LaVine enters free agency, DeMar DeRozan sets a high bar for his Chicago Bulls teammate: ‘Max player, max talent, max everything’

After ending his last season under contract with the Chicago Bulls in COVID-19 isolation, the future is uncertain for guard Zach LaVine. But teammate DeMar DeRozan feels certain about one thing — whoever lands LaVine will need to dig deep into their wallet.

As LaVine enters free agency eligible for the NBA’s maximum contract, DeRozan advocated for the two-time All-Star.

“Max player, max talent, max everything,” DeRozan said. “He’s one of those players in this league that you don’t see too often. I tell him all the time how envious I am of the things he’s able to do. He deserves everything that’s coming to him.”

DeRozan and LaVine created the one-two punch this season that the Bulls had needed for years to lift them to their first postseason berth since 2017. The duo combined for 52.3 points per game in the regular season, providing the bulk of the Bulls offense.

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Their relationship began last summer when they spent time together in Chicago and flew back and forth to Los Angeles to discuss the future of the Bulls.

“We had a lot of dialogue before we even stepped out there on the court,” DeRozan said. “That sort of set the foundation from there. Everything just carried over once we got on the court.”

While LaVine’s athleticism and playmaking stood out, DeRozan said he was most impressed by LaVine’s intense competitive edge.

“He’s just the ultimate competitor,” DeRozan said.

That drive carried off the court. LaVine once spent an entire flight playing tic-tac-toe against DeRozan, who kept beating his younger teammate using a few tricks he picked up from his daughter. No matter how many times DeRozan won, LaVine insisted on a rematch.

“He wouldn’t leave me alone until he beat me,” DeRozan said with a laugh.

Re-signing LaVine will be a priority for the Bulls, who spent the recent years of their rebuild forming a team around him.

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LaVine never has controlled his NBA destination. He was drafted by the Minnesota Timberwolves in 2014 and traded to the Bulls in 2017. He agreed to an offer sheet with the Sacramento Kings in 2018 as a restricted free agent, but the Bulls exercised their right of first refusal to retain him for four additional years.

Despite spending eight years in the NBA, this was LaVine’s first winning season. Before his first playoff series, LaVine emphasized his loyalty to both franchises despite that lack of success.

“Everybody’s got to play the card that they’re dealt,” LaVine told the media before Game 1. “It just took me a little longer than everybody else, but I didn’t cop out and go to a different team.”