With the NBA trade deadline closing in, the Chicago Bulls are very much a mystery. Lately, the buzz has been about Coby White and whether he is meant for greener pastures.
However, ESPN's Bobby Marks is claiming that 35-year-old big man Nikola Vucevic is the likeliest trade candidate.
Right now, the Bulls have eight players whose contracts expire at season's end. They are Vucevic, White, Ayo Dosunmu, Julian Phillips, Dalen Terry, Kevin Huerter, Zach Collins, and Jevon Carter.
According to Marks, Vucevic's stats speak for themselves, and therefore, he would have a greater trade value.
“The 35-year-old Vucevic is the most accomplished of that group,” Marks wrote. “Vucevic has averaged at least 16 points and nine rebounds per game in six straight seasons and has played at least 70 games in five consecutive campaigns. His $21.5 million salary this season ranks 14th among starting centers.
Additionally, head coach Billy Donovan recognizes the mindset that these players have to figure out what's next.
”They have to understand the urgency because they all have something to do with each other's success and they all have something to do with each other's future,” Donovan said.
The Bulls are 19-21 and are coming off a 126-124 win over the Utah Jazz on Wednesday. A win that came to be thanks to Vucevic going glass underneath the basket with 4.2 seconds left. He finished with a season-high 35 points.
Currently, Vucevic is averaging 16.9 points and 9.2 rebounds per game.
Vucevic has been with the Bulls since the 2020-2021 season. Before then, he played for the Orlando Magic from 2013-2020. In 2023, he signed a three-year $60 million contract extension.
