Nikola Vucevic heading towards a buyout rather than a trade with the Bulls!

Nikola Vucevic could leave Chicago in an unexpected way. While the Bulls have been trying to trade their All-Star center for months, the lack of attractive offers is pushing the Illinois franchise to consider a straight buyout of the Montenegrin player.

The situation of the 33-year-old veteran perfectly illustrates the Bulls’ rebuilding difficulties. The last survivor of the team that was supposed to bring Chicago back to the top, Vucevic has seen all his former teammates leave: DeMar DeRozan to Sacramento, Zach LaVine also traded, and Lonzo Ball to Cleveland. Even Evan Fournier, his former teammate from the Magic, recently mocked him on social media, saying he knew Nikola was « tired of playing in the lottery ».

Vucevic’s time in Chicago could end without a trade ❌

More about it: https://t.co/zxL4lnmHwT pic.twitter.com/0fNiV8xvaF

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A profile that no longer fits with the Bulls’ new philosophy

Despite solid stats last season (18.5 points, 10.1 rebounds, 53% field goal and 40% from 3-point range), Vucevic isn’t finding any takers. According to Jake Fischer, the Bulls couldn’t find any interesting return at the last trade deadline, and the situation remains the same this summer.

The $21.4 million center no longer fits the new fast-paced philosophy adopted by Chicago. The team now focuses on young athletes, and a faster, more vertical player would better complement the current starting lineup. With only Zach Collins and Jalen Smith as other big men on the roster, the Bulls prefer to avoid taking on bad contracts in a potential trade.

This buyout rumor could paradoxically make a trade even more complicated, as some franchises might prefer to patiently wait for his « release » to get him at a lower cost. Teams like the Golden State Warriors might be rubbing their hands at this prospect.

For Vucevic, who hasn’t played in the playoffs since the 2021-2022 season, this situation might mark the end of a difficult chapter in Chicago and the opportunity to join a more competitive team to revive his career.