The Chicago Bulls have a decision to make regarding Nikola Vucevic. The veteran center is entering the final year of his current contract. He will become an unrestricted free agent next summer.
Therefore, the Bulls can either trade him, in the hope of receiving some viable assets in return. Or, they can progress through the season and risk letting him walk for nothing next summer. The most likely outcome is that Chicago will explore Vucevic’s trade market, both during the offseason and up until the February 2026 trade deadline.
In a recent article for “Hornets on SI,” Ryan Stano laid out a case for the Charlotte Hornets to target the Bulls veteran center.
“One player the Hornets need to target in a trade is Nikola Vucevic,” Stano wrote. “Vucevic has been wasting away in Chicago for the last few seasons as the Bulls continue their perpetual playing of the play-in game. Vucevic fits the kind of team that the Hornets are trying to build. He’s an excellent rebounder and 3-point shooter, which is exactly the kind of player they need around LaMelo Ball and Brandon Miller.”
Charlotte likely has the necessary trade assets to get a deal for Vucevic over the line. However, the Bulls may want to explore multiple trade options before making a final decision.
Bulls Unlikely to Buy Out Vucevic
An anonymous NBA executive recently told Sean Deveney of Athlon Sports that Chicago won’t buy out Vucevic’s contract if a trade fails to materialize.
“They’re not looking to buy him out,” The executive said. “If there is one thing that has been consistent about Jerry Reinsdorf over 40 years–and he is the same with the White Sox (Reinsdorf also owns MLB’s South Side team in Chicago)–it is that he does not pay players or coaches to not play or coach for him.”
Vucevic is coming off one of his best seasons for the Bulls franchise. He will likely be a highly impactful member of Billy Donovan’s roster for the upcoming season. Therefore, Chicago could be comfortable moving forward with Vuecvic on the roster, even if that means risking him walking away next summer.
Europe May Be Calling Vucevic After Bulls
Kevin Martorano of Sportando recently reported that at least two European teams are currently pursuing Vucevic.
“According to SportKlub, the situation is also being closely monitored by several European clubs, especially in the EuroLeague,” Martorano reported. “Vucevic is a well-known fan of Crvena Zvezda Belgrade, which could fuel dreams among the Serbian club’s supporters of landing a major signing…Additionally, Panathinaikos — currently searching for a center — could also be interested in the player, as well as other financially powerful European teams.”
Multiple European teams will likely pursue Vucevic when he eventually becomes available. Vucevic is still a high-level talent who could earn minutes on most rosters in the league. Nevertheless, some offers for European basketball will likely cross his agent’s desk once he inevitably becomes a free agent next summer. However, if a contending team comes knocking, Vucevic may have a hard time turning that opportunity down.
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