There is more parity in the NBA now than there ever has been, yet the Chicago Bulls can’t seem to get into the upper echelon of teams. They were bounced from the postseason in the Play-In Tournament this past season, and there isn’t much room for improvement outside of adding extra depth around their stars.
One of the biggest issues with Chicago’s current roster is the salaries of the team’s stars, the worst of which is Zach LaVine. Chicago handed LaVine a massive five-year contract extension this past summer, and NBC Sports Chicago’s KC Johnson doesn’t think the Bulls can win within the duration of his deal.
LaVine is a two-time All-Star and one of the more efficient scorers in the league, but he’s on a five-year, $215 million contract. That doesn’t leave the Bulls with much room to work with, and their squad isn’t good enough as is.
“Do you see them contending within this contract? And if you’re honest with yourself, my answer back then was no,” Johnson said. “And if you asked me today, my answer would be no.”
In the next five years, the Bulls would have to make some massive changes to their roster if they wanted to compete with LaVine at the helm. He’s making the same amount of money as the NBA’s superstars, yet there’s no evidence that he can be the top option on a championship team.
A lot can change in five years, but unless LaVine makes massive improvements or the Bulls change the roster around him, their title hopes are slim.
[lawrence-auto-related count=3]