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Nikola Vucevic and Bulls Open Contract Extension Talks

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Nikola Vucevic and the Chicago Bulls have officially opened talks on a possible contract extension. As of June 30th, Vucevic can officially become an unrestricted free agent if he and the Bulls organization do not agree upon an extension by that date. Vucevic has had his ups and downs with the Bulls, but he can still be a valuable contributor in the right environment. After all, he has been an All-Star during his Orlando Magic tenure. Chicago can offer Vucevic up to approximately $118 million over four seasons. Regardless, Nikola Vucevic is going to be one of the more intriguing names to keep an eye on this offseason.

Nikola Vucevic and Chicago Bulls Begin Talks About Possible Contract Extension

How Nikola Vucevic Fits with the Chicago Bulls

Vucevic forms the third part of a nice star trio consisting of him, DeMar DeRozan, and Zach LaVine. Sadly, Chicago massively underperformed this season. After being one of the better teams in the Eastern Conference during the 2021-22 season, the team was knocked out during the play-in tournament by the eventual Eastern Conference champion, Miami Heat. Vucevic had a bit of a down year but was still effective in some moments. After all, he is one of the better frontcourt players in the Eastern Conference.

For the year, he averaged 17.6 points, 11.0 total rebounds per game, and 3.2 assists per game. On top of this, the two-time All-Star also shot an effective field of 57.3 percent. It would behoove Chicago to try and retain Vucevic, but with other decisions to make on other personnel, it could be easier said than done.

Other Destinations for the Center

If the Bulls and Vucevic cannot come to an agreement, there will be a solid market for the big man’s services. One team that comes to mind instantly is the Dallas Mavericks. The Mavericks need serious reinforcements, especially if they want to keep Luka Doncic happy. Not only that, but Vucevic would also solve some of their inconsistencies in the frontcourt.

Another potential destination is the Toronto Raptors. Toronto has a nice young core and Vucevic would form a dynamic duo in the frontcourt alongside Pascal Siakam. Not to mention, seeing him and Fred VanVleet operate together could be fun to watch. Last, but not least, is the Portland Trail Blazers. If the Blazers can get some reinforcements for Damian Lillard, then it could benefit them long term, especially since they do have a top-five pick in their pocket. All in all, Nikola Vucevic will be a heavily touted name this offseason.

 

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