The Chicago Bulls will come into the season looking to find a way to succeed now that they have somewhat entered a rebuilding phase. Losing star forward DeMar DeRozan over the offseason, Chicago has finally embraced what fans have been wanting for years.
However, the team still has guard Zach LaVine and center Nikola Vucevic on its roster. They have reportedly attempted to trade each player. So far, however, nothing has come to fruition.
Vucevic is the more likely of the two to be traded and there have been some recent trade rumors about him going around. One of the biggest has been the Golden State Warriors making a move to land the former All-Star big man.
The former USC product interviewed with Iva Jevtić of B92.sport, and HoopsHype translated his responses to English. Vucevic was asked about the trade rumors that have surrounded him and he seemed to push back on things a little.
“There were rumors in the media that he might be traded to Golden State next season,” Jevtić wrote. “However, he claims those are just speculations.”
“In most cases, those are really just speculations,” Vucevic said. “Maybe the clubs talk, maybe there was some discussion, I don’t know, but if there’s a call between teams, it immediately gets out and people think that’s it.”
Vucevic said in the interview that the Bulls haven’t told him anything about being traded. He mentioned that due to the lack of success that Chicago had, it was normal for these types of rumors to start.
“I haven’t received any information that I’ll be traded or anything,” Vucevic said. “The only thing I got is that I’m staying, that they’re counting on me, that they want me here. If the results had matched the team’s quality, we could have made some achievements, and then there wouldn’t have been all those stories. We didn’t have the season we expected; we didn’t reach the goal of making the playoffs, so it’s logical that people think about changes and those stories start.”
Last season, Vucevic averaged 18.0 points, 10.5 rebounds, and 3.3 assists per game. He has shown that he can be a solid player on the offensive end of the floor but his defense remains a work in progress.
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS – DECEMBER 31: Nikola Vucevic #9 of the Chicago Bulls argues with Zach LaVine #8 against the Cleveland Cavaliers during the first half at United Center on December 31, 2022 in Chicago, Illinois. Vucevic recently discussed some trade rumors that have surrounded him.
Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images
The big man is somewhat of a liability on the defensive end, perhaps limiting his trade value. With the emphasis on two-way style players around the league, Vucevic’s value is nowhere near what it used to be.
It remains to be seen if he will get traded but he does have two more seasons on his current contract. If he stays with Chicago, Vucevic will be tasked with helping the Bulls try to return to postseason contention.
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