Report: Nikola Vucevic Trade Likely To Materialize For Bulls During Next Season

According to NBA insider Marc Stein, a Nikola Vucevic trade will likely materialize for the Chicago Bulls during next season. 

The Bulls, who are rebuilding, want to trade Vucevic and Zach LaVine. 

“Vucevic should be far easier for Chicago to trade given that he has just two seasons left on his contract at a total slightly above $41 million … and with proven big men harder to find,” Stein reported. “The early indications, though, suggest that a move involving the 33-year-old is more likely to materialize during the season than before it.”

Vucevic will make $20 million in 2024-25. 

Chicago missed the playoffs this year for the second consecutive season. The franchise has made the postseason once since trading Jimmy Butler to the Minnesota Timberwolves in 2017. 

The Bulls lost to the Milwaukee Bucks in the first round of the 2022 playoffs in five quick games. 

Vucevic averaged 18.0 points, 10.5 rebounds, 3.3 assists, 0.7 steals and 0.8 blocks in 2023-24 while shooting 48.4% from the field, 29.4% from beyond the arc and 82.2% from the free-throw line. He had 45 double-doubles in 76 games. 

The Bulls acquired Vucevic from the Orlando Magic in March 2021. The two-time All-Star has career averages of 17.1 points, 10.5 rebounds, 2.8 assists, 0.8 steals and 0.9 blocks with the Philadelphia 76ers, Magic and Bulls. He was the 16th overall pick in the 2011 NBA Draft out of USC. 

Chicago traded Alex Caruso to the Oklahoma City Thunder for Josh Giddey and sent DeMar DeRozan to the Sacramento Kings this offseason.