Markkanen disappointed with no contract extension
When training camp began, Lauri Markkanen said he encouraged his agent to get a contract extension done with the Bulls.
It didn't happen before Monday's deadline, so Markkanen will be a restricted free agent next summer. He shared his reaction with reporters on a Zoom call Tuesday.
"Obviously disappointing, I wanted to get a deal done, but we're moving on and I'm 100 percent committed to this team and we keep moving forward and we'll see what happens," he said.
The reasons for an impasse were obvious. Markkanen's stats dropped from his second to third season. Markkanen is planning to be better this year, the Bulls don't want to commit to a big contract without knowing what will happen and here we are.
"I don't think it was very close," Markkanen said. "I talked to (agent Michael Lelchitski) obviously a lot the last couple days, and it just wasn't something I would take and that's the end of it. So we move forward and we've got our first game tomorrow, so that's what we're focused on.
"For sure, it's another motivation for me. Obviously it's not the main thing, but it fuels my fire to play even harder and do what this team needs me to do."
Bulls coach Billy Donovan said he checked in with Markkanen during the recent road trip to Oklahoma City to make sure contract negotiations weren't a distraction.
"I just wanted to make sure he was in a good space mentally in terms of going out there and playing," Donovan said. "He seems like he is. He seems to be doing well. He's working hard. He's been totally engaged. I feel good about that part of it.
"I think the negotiation part is not something I was really privy to or involved with in terms of what those conversations were like, which is the way it should be."