After finishing just below .500 for the fifth time in the past six seasons, the Chicago Bulls are entering a key offseason that could see the team head either way in the NBA power rankings.
One of the biggest decisions the Chicago front office faces is whether to retain starting center Nikola Vucevic, whose contract expired at the end of the season. Vucevic, a two-time All-Star who Chicago traded for back in 2021, has provided steady production at the five spot for coach Billy Donovan.
But with the Bulls’ future so uncertain, whether it’s finding a starting point guard while waiting out Lonzo Ball’s situation, and determining whether Zach LaVine and DeMar DeRozan are still franchise cornerstones, Vooch’s status with the team could have been in jeopardy.
Not anymore.
According to Adrian Wojnarowski, the Bulls have agreed to a three-year, $60 million contract extension with Vucevic, keeping him from entering free agency. This feels like a bargain for the Bulls to secure Vucevic, one of the NBA’s best centers, for just $20 million per season.
- Nikola Vucevic’s stats last season: 17.6 PPG, 11 RPG, 52% FG, 34% 3PT
Chances are, if Vucevic had actually entered free agency, allowing all 30 teams to negotiate with him instead of just the Bulls, he could have commanded north of his new rate. But perhaps the Swiss native really enjoys his time with the Bulls after previous stops with the 76ers and Magic.
Set to turn 33 in October, Vucevic essentially has signed up to close out the twilight of his career in Chicago. Whether coach Donovan and others can help turn the Bulls back into a winner remains to be seen, but with this move, they won’t take a major step back in the frontcourt. We’ll see what else the Bulls have up their sleeves this summer.