Trade Proposal Sends Bulls’ Nikola Vucevic To Lakers

One NBA analyst proposed that the Los Angeles Lakers acquire Nikola Vucevic from the Chicago Bulls. 

Ishaan Bhattacharya of Fadeaway World proposed the following mock trade between the Lakers and Bulls:

Los Angeles Lakers Receive: Nikola Vucevic

Chicago Bulls Receive: D’Angelo Russell, Maxwell Lewis, 2025 Second-Round Pick (LAL)

The Bulls are looking to trade Vucevic and the Lakers are shopping Russell after the guard picked up his 2024-25 player option worth $18.7 million. 

Vucevic will make $20 million in 2024-25. He averaged 18.0 points, 10.5 rebounds, 3.3 assists, 0.7 steals and 0.8 blocks in 2023-24 for the Bulls while shooting 48.4% from the field, 29.4% from beyond the arc and 82.2% from the free-throw line.

Vucevic 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. 

New Lakers head coach JJ Redick said on Sirus XM NBA Radio that LA is looking to add a center. Vucevic fits that bill. 

The Lakers went 47-35 in 2023-24. They lost to the Denver Nuggets in the first round of the playoffs in five games.

Denver also beat LA in the 2023 Western Conference Finals in four games. 

One of the top shooters in NBA history, Redick signed a four-year deal worth in the neighborhood of $8 million per season with the Lakers, who fired Darvin Ham after two seasons.

According to NBA insiders Shams Charania, Jovan Buha and Sam Amick of The Athletic, Redick is focused on elevating Anthony Davis’ involvement and alleviating LeBron James‘ workload.

LeBron, 39, is the oldest player in the NBA. He turns 40 in December. 

“He explained his decision-making process when it comes to strategy, how the analysis and empirical evidence would always guide his choices rather than preconceived notions or outdated beliefs,” Charania, Buha and Amick wrote. “Redick described a system molded around this roster, focusing on elevating Davis’ involvement, particularly late in games, and alleviating the constant ballhandling duties on James by utilizing him more off the ball. Keeping James, who turns 40 in December, fresh down the stretch of the regular season and into the playoffs will be critical.”