NBA rumors: What Bulls want in Nikola Vucevic trade

NBA rumors: What Bulls want in Nikola Vucevic trade.

With the 2024-2025 NBA trade deadline less than two months away, the Chicago Bulls are a team to monitor in the East. The Bulls own an 11-15 record through their first 26 games and are reportedly considering a trade for center Nikola Vucevic.

 

 

While the Bulls are open to moving Vucevic, they are only looking to do so for a first-round pick in return, according to Marc Stein and Jake Fischer of ‘The Stein Line.’ The reporters pointed out Chicago’s return for sending Alex Caruso to the Oklahoma City Thunder as the reason they are opting to be more picky with a potential Vucevic trade.

 

“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,” Stein and Fischer wrote. “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.”

Despite turning 34 in October, Vucevic is having one of the best years of his career. The stretch big man’s 21 points per game are the most he is averaging since the 2020-2021 season when he was traded to Chicago from the Orlando Magic. While he is averaging just under 10 points per game, he has averaged a double-double in each of the previous six seasons.

Bulls looking to be active at 2024-2025 NBA trade deadline

Chicago Bulls center Nikola Vucevic (9) drives to the basket while defended by San Antonio Spurs center Charles Bassey (28) during the second half at Frost Bank Center.

The claim comes shortly after ClutchPoints’ Brett Siegel reported that the Bulls are “open to all offers.” Siegel noted that Vucevic is the most likely player to be moved due to his age, desirable skill set and contract situation. Since the beginning of the season, Chicago has also been believed to be willing to move Zach LaVine and Lonzo Ball, while none of their role players should be considered untouchable.

 

 

Siegel singled out the Golden State Warriors, Los Angeles Lakers, New Orleans Pelicans and Detroit Pistons as teams potentially interested in Vucevic. The Warriors, however, recently traded for point guard Dennis Schroder, potentially altering how aggressive they will want to be at the deadline.

While the Bulls might not consider themselves complete sellers at the upcoming NBA trade deadline, nothing appears off the table. Chicago has made the play-in tournament in each of the previous two seasons and were eliminated before making the playoffs. Approaching the midway point of the 2024-2025 season, they are back in the No. 9 seed in the Eastern Conference and seemingly destined for the same fate.

 

Jaren Kawada is a NFL, College Football and Betting Associate Editor at ClutchPoints. Kawada was born and raised in Honolulu, Hawaii, but now resides in Indianapolis, Indiana, after graduating from Butler University with a B.A. in sports media.