Al-Farouq Aminu intends to exercise his $10.2 million player option for the 21-22 season with the Chicago Bulls.

The Bulls acquired Aminu as part of the Nikola Vuceivc trade at the deadline with the Chicago Bulls.

Lonzo Ball is expected to have a competitive restricted free agency with the New Orleans Pelicans.

The Chicago Bulls held serious trade talks at the deadline with the Pelicans for Ball.

“Ball in Chicago will be an interesting one to watch,” said Adrian Wojnarowski on the Woj & Lowe Podcast.

The New York Knicks are another team expected to have interest in Ball.

“I think Lonzo will get a pretty good number whether it’s Chicago or New York or some other places.”

Zach LaVine might be willing to take a slight discount with the Chicago Bulls if it means the team is able to add key role players around him, sources tell the Chicago Sun-Times.

Before the start of the 20-21 season, several outlets reported that it was important for LaVine to sign for max money moving forward.

LaVine is finishing his fourth season with the Bulls and his seventh in the NBA. LaVine has yet to reach the playoffs in any of them.

“I’ve been making strides each and every year,’’ LaVine said. “I’m going to continue to do that. But it’s not about me. I would love to have just the opportunity to go out there and play and compete and showcase what I can do on a bigger stage. I’m going to get there. But we just have to work for it.’’

LaVine signed a four-year, $80 million offer sheet with the Sacramento Kings in 2018 that the Bulls matched. 

Zach LaVine plans to return to the Chicago Bulls lineup on Thursday against the Charlotte Hornets.

LaVine hasn't played since April 14th due to COVID-19 protocols. 

LaVine is averaging 27.5 points, 5.1 rebounds and 5.1 assists this season. 

The Chicago Sun-Times previously confirmed LaVine tested positive for COVID-19. 

While the Chicago Bulls continue to push for a possible playoff spot, the future of Lauri Markkanen with the franchise remains entirely unclear. Markkanen will be a restricted free agent.

“Up and down in that way,” Markkanen told reporters after Monday’s shootaround when asked to summarize his season. “Start of the season I got the COVID thing so I couldn’t play, and then I felt like I was playing well for whatever, a month-and-a-half period before I got hurt, kind of found my rhythm there, and then you sit out… And then we got a little bit different team now (after the deadline) and playing [small forward], so it’s been a lot of new stuff. 

“But like every year you have your good moments and you have your bad stuff happening. I think I’ve been trying to learn as much as I can, and learn new stuff on the fly.”

Markkanen hasn't begun to look ahead to the offseason yet.

“I haven’t thought about that at all. I let all that kind of stuff happen its own way after the season,” Markkanen said when asked if he thinks this season could be his last with the Bulls. “I can’t focus on that. What do we got? Eight games left? Just try and make this play-in spot, and that’s my focus right now. Like I said, I’m going to give it all I have, and I’m not thinking about the future right now. I can’t control that, so I don’t know.’’