J.ROSS: The Kings Join the Free Agency Mix
Jul 7, 2018, 12:00 AM | Updated: Jan 4, 2019, 11:30 am
(Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images)
(Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images)
Late Friday afternoon, the Sacramento Kings joined the free agency frenzy. Reportedly, the Kings have offered the 23 year old restricted free agent to a 4 year 78 million dollar offer sheet. The Chicago Bulls will have 48 hours to match the Kings large offer. The Chicago Bulls do have the cap space to keep LaVine but will they?
Remember that Chicago picked up LaVine last year in the Jimmy Butler deal. The full deal was Jimmy Butler and Justin Patton for Zach LaVine, Kris Dunn and Lauri Markannen. LaVine at his best played all 82 games in his 2nd year in the NBA. That year with Minnesota he scored 14 points a game. The next year was his 3rd season but he hurt his knee with a torn ACL. Last season was his first with Chicago but he only played 24 games starting all 24.
The positive of this potential partnership is another extremely talented young player to the mix. He can play the shooting guard, he can handle the ball and he has already proved himself in the NBA. He has only played 71 games though over the last two seasons and you have to wonder about his health. The money is large but that is how you would have to get him. I do believe in the end that Chicago will match. Only time will tell.
