The NBA offseason is right in the thick of things. However, for the Chicago Bulls, it’s been a quiet one.
So far this summer, the Bulls have traded away Lonzo Ball for Isaac Okoro, resigned Tre Jones to a three-year, $24 million deal, and drafted 18-year-old Noa Essengue with their No. 12 pick in the 2025 NBA Draft.
Not a lot has happened so far, and the Bulls haven’t given very many details on Nikola Vucevic’s team status heading into the 2025-26 season.
Vucevic emerged as a trade target last season, but nothing went through, and he remained with the team to finish the 2024-25 season.
At 34 years old, the two-time All-Star had another productive season in Chicago. In 73 games, he averaged 18.5 points, 10.1 rebounds, and 3.5 assists while shooting 53% from the field and 40.2% from the three. Impressive numbers for a player that’s reportedly not getting much interest this offseason in the big man.
According to Bleacher Report‘s Jake Fischer, “We’re probably more likely to see a Nikola Vucevic buyout mid-season than we are to see a trade… Depending on how the market unfolds, depending on how injuries develop. There just really hasn’t been much of a Nikola Vucevic trade market in a while.”
Vucevic is heading into his final season of a three-year, $60 million deal he signed with the Bulls back in the 2023 offseason. He’s owed about $21.5 million next season. Given his high price, teams seem to be hesitant to pursue the big man in a trade, concerned that his age and inconsistent defense may not justify the cost.
