Bulls G Zach LaVine has "agreed to terms with Adidas on a four-year endorsement deal" that could be worth as much as $35M, according to sources cited by Nick DePaula of ESPN.com. LaVine had "worn Nike throughout his first three seasons in the league," with Nike "retaining a 'match clause' over any potential offer sheet from a competing brand this fall." Sources said that after reviewing the offer this week, Nike "officially waived the clause ... finalizing LaVine's agreement with Adidas." Adidas currently features Rockets G James Harden, Trail Blazers G Damian Lillard and Cavaliers G Derrick Rose as "guards with a signature sneaker," and the Knicks' Kristaps Porzingis and 76ers' Joel Embiid serving as "cornerstones at the center position." With T'Wolves F Andrew Wiggins' Adidas contract "set to expire next fall, amid some internal uncertainty of his long-term marketing potential, and emerging players" like Lakers F Brandon Ingram, Celtics F Jaylen Brown and Wizards F Kelly Oubre Jr. "still developing, there's an open lane for a wing scorer to step in and elevate their profile with the brand." The deal is also "structured in a way to reward" LaVine should he "break out as an All-Star level player once he returns" from an ACL injury. The deal, negotiated by BDA Sports' Nima Namakian, who reps LaVine, "continues Adidas' shift in its strategy of signing NBA players." The brand will "focus on younger players with All-Star potential, versus signing a sea of players simply for sheer visibility" (ESPN.com, 11/2).
