There are a couple of primary goals for the Bulls this offseason. One is to find help at the point guard spot with Lonzo Ball out for all of next season.
The other: Strike a deal with Nikola Vucevic and stabilize the center position. Chicago can check that second priority off the list. The Bulls and Vucevic agreed to a three-year, $60 million contract extension. Shams Charania of The Athletic broke the story and the Bulls later confirmed it.
VOOOOOOOOOCH is here to stay. pic.twitter.com/yCEKmg2Hz2
— Chicago Bulls (@chicagobulls) June 28, 2023
“During his time in Chicago, Nikola has proven that he is a special player both on and off the court,” Bulls GM Artūras Karnišovas said in a statement. “He has produced at an elite level since we acquired him and will remain an integral part of our foundation moving forward. Nikola’s willingness to do whatever is asked of him to help us win, while also being an established veteran leader for our group, makes him a valuable component of the culture of our organization.”
Vucevic averaged 17.6 points and 11 rebounds a night last season while not missing a game. He had been very public about wanting to reach a deal that brought him back to Chicago.
This was a predictable move by the Bulls but that doesn’t make it a bad one (despite how some in the fan base feel) — they locked a quality center up at a fair price (it should be noted that the $60 million figure is what was leaked to Charania by agents, a number that can sometimes include unlikely incentives and more, the real number could be a little lower). This was a safe play by Chicago and Vucevic is now under contract at a price where he can be traded if the Bulls do decide to pivot. The alternative is not better, the Bulls could have let some guys walk (Coby White among them) and tried to sign another center, but the guys in their price range even then — Christian Wood, Dwight Powell — are not better than Vucevic. The guy Chicago already had, and who wanted to come back, was the best option.
Frustration by Bulls fans with Vucevic is misplaced. If you want to be frustrated with team management for going all in on Vucevic (and DeMar DeRozan and Zach LaVine) to create a roster that is increasingly expensive and destined for the middle of the pack in the East, that’s understandable. But that’s not on Vucevic, he has just been who he has always been. He is a good center, one that they could and should use more as a passing hub of the offense as long as Ball is out (running things through LaVine and DeRozan makes Chicago predictable).
Vucevic is a good center and he will be back in the middle of things for Chicago next season.
