What do you think is the future for …

What do you think is the future for Lauri Markkanen and the Bulls? – Alfonso M., via Twitter. We’re going to find out how he’s valued by the current regime soon enough. Once the NBA calendar is established, he’s eligible for an extension of his rookie contract during the offseason. Given that the Bulls traded Jimmy Butler in part for him, you can bet his representation will be asking for a lot. Given that he regressed through an injury-riddled and usage-challenged season last year, you can bet the new regime will try to sign him to a reasonable contract. Karnisovas and Eversley are well respected throughout the agency community. This includes a strong relationship with Markkanen’s agent. That should make for cordial negotiations. Whether they’re fruitful or not remains to be seen. If no extension is reached, the Bulls would still own his rights as a restricted free agent if they extend him a qualifying offer (the value of which is impossible to project until we know the exact ramifications the league’s stoppage will have on the CBA).