Could long-time Chicago Bulls starting center Nikola Vucevic finally, mercifully be headed out of town?
The 6-foot-10 big man, a two-time All-Star with the Orlando Magic, is fairly durable, a good passer and rebounder, and a versatile scorer. Last season, on a middling 39-43 squad that missed the playoffs for the fourth time in five springs with Vucevic, the USC product averaged a solid 18.5 points on .530/.348/.770 shooting splits, 10.1 rebounds, and 3.5 assists while playing 73 contests.
But he's also about to be 35 while stuck on a perennial play-in team that can't even make the playoffs proper, struggles to defend in space or at the rim, and occasionally clogs up the offense with his demand for perhaps an inordinate amount of touches relative to his helpfulness.
Chicago Bulls center Nikola Vucevic drives into the post as Orlando Magic forward Paolo Banchero defends at KIA Center on April 7, 2024.
Chicago Bulls center Nikola Vucevic drives into the post as Orlando Magic forward Paolo Banchero defends at KIA Center on April 7, 2024.
Mike Watters-Imagn Images
Now, with just one year and $21.5 million remaining on his contract for 2025-26, it seems possible that Chicago may be able to find a trade partner for his still-appetizing services, as the organization looks to the next generation of frontcourt help.
During a Wednesday morning segment, Chicago Sports Network host Cam Smith predicted a quick turnaround for a potential Vucevic deal.
"I think he's moved before draft day or it could happen draft night," Smith said. "So you're looking at the timeline of this Bulls group and the players that they've brought in for these workouts."
The 2025 NBA Draft tips off on June 25, and concludes the next night.
Prospects such as 6-foot-9 Georgia power forward Asa Newell, 6-foot-10 Kansas State combo forward Coleman Hawkins, and 6-foot-10 Michigan big man Danny Wolf (a Glencoe native) could each theoretically help replace Vucevic in the frontcourt long-term.
"You bring these [young prospects] in with the mindset that at some point, Nikola Vucevic will be moved before draft night, or during draft night, so have to find a suitor for Vucevic," Smith noted. "There's gonna be another team out there — possibly a Western Conference team — that's gonna look at Nikola Vucevic and say that, 'He can help our group, especially when it comes to playoff time, because he's a stretch five that can shoot the basketball and also can get you some points... around the basket."