There was much anticipation at this year's NBA trade deadline as several difference-makers were at the center of trade rumors. when the dust settled, the biggest name to move was one Kendrick Perkins cannot pronounce, as center Nikola Vučević was traded by the Orlando Magic to the Chicago Bulls.

The past few years it felt like Vučević, an All-Star big man on a mediocre team, was always going to be moved at the deadline. This season it finally came true and now first-time All-Star Zach LaVine will have a running mate in Vooch. While the team had to give up a young big man and two first-round picks, you can hardly call that mortgaging the team's future. 

This season, Vučević has been putting up 24.5 points, 11.8 rebounds, and 3.8 assists. While those numbers may go down as he plays with LaVine, his efficiency could increase given the better roster around him. He will be the recipient of playmaking from Tomáš Satoranský and surprisingly, Thaddeus Young. Vučević is one of the best bigs offensively as he has been shooting 40.6% from deep. He can bury defenders inside the paint and skillfully finish over them.

Vooch eats up boards and is an automatic double-double. While he is 30-years old, his game is not dependent on athleticism or bounce, so he should continue to play at a high-level for the foreseeable future.

His defense leaves much to be desired, which at this point could be a cap to the team. It is difficult for a team to reach the next level with a center that cannot reliably protect the paint, although veteran Daniel Theis could help a bit in that area. Still, the Bulls are going to love having Vooch. 

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With all of that said, an under-the-radar aspect in acquiring Vučević that makes Chicago one of the victors at the trade deadline is Vučević's team-friendly contract. After this season, Vooch is still under contract for two more years. The best part is that his cap hits actually decrease, which bodes well for the Bulls. In the next two years, he will cost his team $24,000,000 and $22,000,000, respectively. 

This gives the Bulls plenty of time to evaluate whether a team built around the offensive prowess of LaVine and Vučević is enough to make playoff basketball in the Windy City a normal occurrence. If not, due to the aforementioned contract, the team has enough cap space to acquire a player that can further improve the roster. Wing Patrick Williams shows promise, so perhaps the team can pursue a high-end point guard, who can run the offense and provide perimeter defense.