Nikola

Vucevic

Chicago has already made some moves this summer by trading away DeMar DeRozan and Alex Caruso. However, those moves didn’t bring back much value, and if they aren’t able to get much back in trades for Vucevic and Zach LaVine, this could be the start of a long, long rebuild for the Bulls. There’s a chance that Vooch remains in Chicago next season if they don’t get offered a good enough deal, but if they are able to move him, Jalen Smith could move into a starting role.

Sanogo will provide center depth behind Nikola Vucevic and Jalen Smith, but he could see a larger role in Chicago’s rotation if the Bulls decide to move on from Vucevic in the offseason.

Vucevic finished his 2023-24 season with a double-double, fitting for a player who recorded 45 during the regular season. The veteran center was responsible for a full stat line, but the impact was muted. Vucevic, who had a Yahoo ADP of 47.4, hovered around that number in 8- and 9-cat formats this season, ranking 52nd in the former and 48th in the latter. He’s a relatively safe bet for top-50 fantasy value, especially if injuries continue to plague Zach LaVine (foot) and Lonzo Ball (knee).

Vooch closed out the regular season with three straight 20-point games, and he was able to keep that up to open up the postseason. He only scored five points when they played Atlanta earlier this month, but he was far more effective in this one. With the win, they’ll head to Miami to face a Heat team that may be without Jimmy Butler after he suffered a knee injury on Wednesday. They haven’t played Miami since December, but Vucevic scored less than 20 in three of their four matchups this year. If they’re able to walk away with another win, they’ll take on Boston in the first round.

Despite having nothing to play for, the Bulls played their usual rotation on Sunday, with all five starters playing at least 38 minutes. Vucevic logged 42 and finished with his second straight double-double. He’s scored at least 26 points in three straight games, building solid offensive momentum heading into Chicago’s Play-In tournament matchup with Atlanta. Javonte Green, who has filled in admirably for Ayo Dosunmu, contributed 11 points, eight rebounds, one assist, two steals, and one 3-pointer in 38 minutes.

After sitting out Friday’s win over the Wizards, DeRozan, Vucevic, and Caruso are off the injury report for Sunday’s regular-season finale. The Bulls are locked into the 9-seed in the East, which could impact how much the starters play in New York.

The Bulls are locked into the 9-seed in the East, so there’s little reason for them not to give their key players time to rest ahead of the Play-In tournament. Expect to see plenty of players, such as Dalen Terry, Javonte Green, Onuralp Bitim, Jevon Carter, and Adama Sanogo, to name a few.

DeRozan and Vucevic were initially questionable for Friday’s game but are now doubtful. The Bulls are locked into the 9th seed in the East, so there isn’t much to be gained (or lost) at this point in the regular season. Dalen Terry, Javonte Green, Onuralp Bitim, Jevon Carter, and Adama Sanogo are some players in line to play extended minutes against the Wizards.

Coby White is the only Bulls starter who doesn’t carry an injury designation into Friday’s matchup with Washington, and he should handle a significant workload. If Chicago’s questionable players end up sitting this one out, guys like Dalen Terry, Onuralp Bitim, Jevon Carter and Torrey Craig should see extra run.

Vucevic recorded his second double-double in four games on Thursday, and the 27 points were the most he’s tallied since March 16 against the Wizards (29). Vooch is well on his way to finishing the season as a top 50 player in 9-cat formats, aligning with his Yahoo ADP (50). He may not be the most prolific fantasy big man, but managers generally know what they will get from Vucevic. The Bulls have two games remaining on their schedule, but with the 9-seed locked up, the team’s more established players could sit (or have their minutes capped) ahead of the Play-In Tournament.