Chicago Bulls vice president Arturas Karnisovas gave a vote of confidence to Nikola Vucevic’s future with the team after standing pat at the trade deadline.
“He’s having an unbelievable year and we want him to be here. I think for this group, that was important. Now that the trade deadline has passed, this is the group that we’re sticking with and they can go out there, play, put their foot on the gas and go on a run,” said Karnisovas on Thursday.
Vucevic is currently in the final year of a four-year, $100 million deal he signed in 2019.
The Bulls were one of two teams in the league to not make any deals at the trade deadline.
Karnisovas was optimistic that the team could move up the standings this season.
“I think the trade deadline shifted some quality more towards West, so there’s a chance to compete in the Eastern Conference and there’s a lot of teams that are pretty good, but they’re just clinched all together. I think there’s a chance the next 28 games.”