The Bulls’ season ended with a thud Wednesday night as they fell 109-90 to the Heat in the play-in tournament. Just like that, Chicago’s playoff hopes vanished and the questions about their future began.
Now the team faces some tough decisions this summer.
Veteran center Nikola Vucevic could be on the move, according to Bulls insider Joe Cowley. The 34-year-old big man is entering the final year of his three-year contract with Chicago, making him an attractive trade piece.
## Is Vucevic’s time in Chicago coming to an end?
Bulls To Look To Trade Nikola Vuceivc This Offseason
— RealGM (@RealGM)
Vucevic has been a steady presence for the Bulls since arriving from Orlando at the 2020-21 trade deadline.
This past season, his 14th in the NBA and fifth with Chicago, Vucevic put up impressive numbers. He averaged 18.5 points, 10.1 rebounds, and 3.5 assists while appearing in 73 games.
His outside shooting was particularly strong. Vucevic hit 40.2% of his three-pointers, taking about 4.4 attempts per game – pretty remarkable for a center his size.
League sources say the Bulls are seriously looking at trade options for Vucevic this summer.
The timing makes sense. With just one year left on his deal and a $21 million cap hit for next season, Vucevic becomes much easier to move than players with longer, more expensive contracts.
Despite turning 35 before next season tips off, Vucevic hasn’t shown many signs of slowing down.
He racked up 59 double-doubles this season, second only to Sacramento’s Domantas Sabonis who had 61. That’s elite production by any standard.
So why would Chicago move on from such a productive player?
Age is certainly a factor. The Bulls might be looking to get younger at the position rather than investing more years in a center approaching his mid-30s.
There’s also the question of timeline. If Chicago decides to rebuild or retool around their younger pieces, Vucevic’s prime years might be better utilized elsewhere.
We’ll see what happens with the two-time All-Star in the coming months. One thing’s for sure – plenty of teams would love to add a center with his scoring touch and rebounding ability, even if just for a one-year rental.
