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Getty Nikola Vucevic #9 and Zach LaVine #8 of the Chicago Bulls defend against Kevin Durant #7 of the Brooklyn Nets
Some have speculated that the Chicago Bulls will move on from Nikola Vucevic this offseason. But at least one source, NBC Sports Chicago’s KC Johnson, believes the narrative about the veteran center has gone too far.
An NBA executive told Heavy’s Sean Deveney that they “know” they have to trade him this offseason.
If Johnson’s assessment is in line with the team’s, that executive could be dead wrong. After all, the Bulls’ vice president of basketball operations, Arturas Karnisovas, has made it clear that he intends to build around the Bulls’ rather expensive core.
Vucevic will certainly remain part of that core judging by this assessment.
better than advertised
Vucevic came up as part of a larger discussion on the “Bulls Talk Podcast,” which Johnson co-hosts, about how the Bulls need to improve this offseason. Co-host Rob Schaefer of NBC Sports Chicago said the Bulls “absolutely” need to add defense around the offensive trio of Vucevic, DeMar DeRozan and Zach LaVine.
He noted the Bulls did well to supplement those three with defensive-oriented players in Lonzo Ball and Alex Caruso. But they were still thin in that area. Schaefer then said the way the Bulls got better despite Vucevic was to continue to complement like the Bulls have.
Johnson then chimed in to clear up a misconception surrounding the Bulls big man.
“Nikola Vucevic was having a good defensive year until the injuries happened. I’m not saying he’s ever going to be a lockdown advocate. But there is a scenario where he works on your team’s defense. And it was working.”
Vucevic’s defensive rating was tied for the worst of his career, according to Basketball-Reference, which was established just a year ago.
However, before Ball went down on Jan. 13, Vucevic’s defensive rating was 106, a mark he hadn’t hit since 2018. It soared to 114 once the Bulls point guard suffered the knee injury that put end of his season.
One man’s opinion
It would be easy to take Johnson’s stance on Vucevic as jaded by his proximity to the team and what Karnisovas has said. But he acknowledges the Bulls still need to add players capable of making an impact on both ends of the floor.
He is not alone in his belief that Vucevic can be a useful member of a team that plays tough defense.
“I remember having that conversation with a couple of scouts in the first half of the year when the Bulls were flying high and leading the East … They were limiting their shortcomings and maximizing their strength.”
Johnson wrapped up his thought by reiterating Vucevic’s staying power with this current group.
Schaefer backed off a bit, leaving their argument to the team’s slide once Ball and Caruso exited. He also pointed out the lack of versatility of the Bulls’ roster, especially come playoff time when matchups dictate so much.
Both Johnson and Schaefer ultimately agreed that the Bulls need to address their lack of defensive depth.
The Bulls had to turn to journeyman Tristan Thompson after the All-Star break to absorb the backup center minutes after Tony Bradley, but neither proved effective. His backup wings consisted primarily of the 6-foot-3 Javonte Green and Derrick Jones Jr., who is a free agent.
Bulls and Vucevic at a crossroads
In addition to the adjustment being a potential cause for the Bulls to trade Vucevic, there is an additional financial aspect. One that is highly significant for a team about to take a “leap of faith” and extend LaVine a maximum contract this summer.
Vucevic is heading into the final year of his contract. He will turn 32 just five days after the 2022-23 NBA season begins.
Whether what we saw last season was more of a sign of things to come, rather than the result of a flawed roster, remains to be seen. But it’s an assessment the Bulls need to make relatively quickly.
They certainly don’t want to be left on the hook for handing a new contract to a player who was possibly showing signs of decline.
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