Over the summer, the Chicago Bulls made some notable trades. At the beginning of the offseason, they traded Alex Caruso to the Oklahoma City Thunder in exchange for Josh Giddey. They also sent DeMar DeRozan to the Sacramento Kings via a sign-and-trade. Early in the 2024-25 NBA season, the Bulls are once again named in trade rumors. So far, the Bulls have reportedly had interest in trading players like Nikola Vucevic, Lonzo Ball, and Zach LaVine. However, all three of these players remain on the roster.
According to NBA insiders Marc Stein and Jake Fischer (subscription required), the Bulls are “continuing to try to trade” Vucevic this season. However, Stein and Fischer revealed the major hold-up for a potential trade involving the two-time All-Star.
After failing to extract any draft compensation from Oklahoma City in its Alex Caruso-for-Josh Giddey swap in June, Chicago is said to be seeking a first-round pick to part with center Nikola Vučević, who has had a tremendous season offensively. The two-time NBA All-Star is averaging 21.0 points and 9.8 rebounds per game while shooting a sizzling 58.7% from the field and 47.4% on 3-pointers.
Do the Bulls have the resolve to hold out for a first-rounder? We’re down to 54 days and counting until the trade deadline.
Chicago Bulls’ Hold-Up for Trade Involving Nikola Vucevic Revealed
Why the Chicago Bulls Have Interest in Trading Nikola Vucevic
The Bulls acquired Vucevic from the Orlando Magic in March 2021. Since then, the USC alum helped the Bulls make three playoff appearances and a few other Play-In appearances. Chicago brought Vucevic in to help them inch closer to title contention next to LaVine and Ball. This did not happen as the Bulls have teetered the line of mediocrity for much of his time with the team. To begin the 2024-25 NBA season, this has not changed for Chicago.
Through 26 games, the Bulls are 11-15 and own the No. 9 seed in the Eastern Conference. At this rate, they will be a Play-In team once again. Vucevic is 34 years old and has one full year remaining on his three-year, $60 million contract. He does not fit their timeline, especially given that the Bulls are not championship contenders. Trading Vucevic, especially for draft picks, will help Chicago in the long run. Additionally, depending on where they trade him, it would allow Vucevic to potentially compete for a championship before calling it a career.
What Nikola Vucevic Brings to the Table
At 6’10” and 260 pounds, Vucevic is a legitimate big-bodied center. This allows him to be a good rebounder on both sides of the ball. Additionally, Vucevic’s biggest appeal is his perimeter shooting. Now in his 14th season, Vucevic is a career 34.7% shooter from beyond the arc. This includes a fantastic 47.4% on 4.6 attempts per game from the three-point line this season. He is a great offensive-minded big man who can help a contender. However, his biggest weakness is that he is not a good defender. Despite his size, he is not a good rim protector either.
Regardless, Vucevic is a talented big man who provides a lot of value. It seems that the Bulls are serious about trading him this season. Where he ends up is unknown but worth monitoring as the year progresses.
