Nikola Vucevic is entering the final year of his current contract with the Chicago Bulls. As such, the veteran big man could find himself on the trade block.
According to Jake Weinbach, Vucevic is drawing interest from the Detroit Pistons. Over the past 12 months, Detroit has been making moves to surround Cade Cunningham with some much-needed floor spacing.
In a July 7 article for ClutchPoints, Scotty White noted how the Pistons don’t have many assets that would be enticing for the Bulls. He did, however, note that Isaiah Stewart would likely pique the franchise’s interest and get Chicago to the negotiating table.
“If the Bulls do decide to trade Nikola Vucevic to the Pistons, there is a scenario where the trade would make sense for Chicago without landing a first-round pick,” White wrote. “That would be if Detroit wants to send Isaiah Stewart to Chicago…Isaiah Stewart certainly fits the mold for the Bulls more than Vucevic does now because of his age. Stewart should be a really good player in the NBA for 10+ years, and those are the kinds of players that the Bulls need. At the same time, Vucevic could be a great short-term option for the Pistons as they look to add experience to help them get over the hump in the playoffs.”
Stewart would bring toughness, strength and defensive upside to Billy Donovan’s rotation. This past season, he played in 72 games for Detroit, averaging 6 points, 5.5 rebounds and 1.7 assists.
Bulls’ Vucevic Wants to Join a Contender
During his end-of-season media availability, Vucevic discussed his desire to contend for a championship.
“There are some good, young pieces that can be built around,” Vucevic said. “There are a lot of questions when you’re a team not fighting for the top. I have trust in them and believe they want to do what’s best and build a good team that wants to win. So we’ll see. Obviously, I’m at the stage in my career where I’m trying to win now. Play in the playoffs and hopefully have deep playoff runs. It’s a young team and it does take time. It all depends on what their timeline is and how they see this team.”
Detroit is certainly a roster on the rise. However, they’re not a roster that is ready to contend in the upcoming season. Therefore, Vucevic could have little interest in joining J.B. Bickerstaff’s team. After all, he’s in the final stage of his career and has earned the opportunity to challenge for a championship.
Bulls Likely Searching For Draft Capital
According to Evan Sidery of Forbes Sports, the Bulls would be willing to part with Vucevic in return for a late first-round draft pick.
“The Bulls are angling for additional draft capital utilizing Nikola Vucevic,” Sidery wrote on X. “Chicago is prioritizing their young core as Vucevic hopes to land in a contending situation. If a team were to offer a late-first for Vucevic before the 2025 draft, Chicago is very open to the idea.”
Vucevic will likely have a decent-sized trade market either during the summer or closer to the trade deadline. Therefore, the Bulls should feel under no pressure to rush into a trade that doesn’t work for their rebuilding goals.
However, the front office must also balance the need to get fair value and the need not to lose Vucevic for nothing next year.
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