Nikola Vucevic’s future with the Chicago Bulls might still be up in the air, but he has no shortage of suitors, with the Dallas Mavericks being the latest to be linked to the star.
The center is one of the names expected to be traded before the deadline, while the other big pair of DeMar DeRozan and Zach LaVine is the subject of contrasting reports regarding their time in the Windy City.
A recent report suggested that the Mavericks would be a good destination for Vucevic. According to Heavy Sports NBA insider Sean Deveney:
“Dallas would be a good spot if the Bulls wanted Tim Hardaway Jr. back.”
Hardaway has been one of the players whose name is doing the rounds ahead of the deadline. The Mavericks are in need of a player who could dish out buckets and ease the load of Luka Doncic, and the belief is that Vucevic could fill in that void.
The Los Angeles Lakers And The Brooklyn Nets Have Been Linked To Nikola Vucevic
All of Chicago’s big three have been linked to the Los Angeles Lakers. Last month, Bleacher Report’s Eric Pincus reported that the Purple and Gold were one of the franchises keen to land DeRozan and Vucevic.
The two veterans would give the team the massive boost they need on the offense, but with the Lakers’ reluctance to trade their picks, the deal seems mighty unlikely.
According to NBA sources, the Lakers are interested in both Vučević and DeRozan. If L.A. is willing to give up two first-round picks (2027 and 2029) along with Russell Westbrook as a buy-out candidate, the Bulls may end up in a better lottery position to retain their pick in June. This is the draft to do it.
Next up, the Nets were one of the sides targeting the big man and Alex Caruso. Erik Slater of ClutchPoints said Vucevic and Caruso could be trade targets.
Chicago has plummeted to 11-16 and may be without Lonzo Ball for the entire season. Alex Caruso has steadily cemented his reputation as a high-energy defender off the bench during his time with the Bulls. I’d keep an eye on Caruso’s $9 million salary if things continue to go south there.
Similar to Caruso, Nikola Vucevic could be a target for the Nets if Chicago blows it up. Vucevic is a career 34.9 percent shooter from 3-point range and offers some secondary creation as a post scorer. The big man also ranks seventh in the league in rebounding (10.6 per game) and would provide a major boost for a Brooklyn team that ranks near dead last on the glass. The Bulls gave up Wendell Carter Jr., Otto Porter Jr., and two first-round picks for Vucevic in a trade that looks increasingly bad each day their title hopes fade. It would not be surprising to see Chicago look to recoup some value for the 32-year-old.
For now, there’s nothing concrete as Vucevic continues to suit up for the Bulls. That said, this is the NBA, and sometimes it takes just a split-second decision to pull the trigger.
Will the Bulls blow it up? Or will Vucevic finish his year with Chicago? Only time will tell.
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