Nikola Vucevic has been a standout performer for the Chicago Bulls this season. The veteran big man has been operating at a borderline All-Star level for the majority of the season.
Nevertheless, Vucevic has been floated as a potential trade candidate all year. When he remained with the team past the Feb. 6 trade deadline, many believed he could be moved during the summer.
However, Joe Cowley of the Chicago Sun-Times recently reported that Vucevic would prefer to see out the remainder of his contract with the Bulls.
“One player who’s suddenly buying in — and would like to stay another season and finish out his contract — is Vucevic,” Cowley wrote. “That’s a bit surprising, especially after good friend DeMar DeRozan was traded to the Kings and Alex Caruso to the Thunder last summer, followed by the LaVine trade. All signs had pointed to Vucevic being traded by the Feb. 6 deadline, and when he wasn’t, there were concerns he’d check out.”
Chicago has been one of the hottest teams in the NBA over the past two months. With the current rotation impressing, Billy Donovan could likely be enticed to keep the veteran big man around. After all, Vucevic provides valuable floor spacing, rebounding and interior scoring.
Bulls Could Draft Derik Queen
In a recent mock draft from The Athletic’s Sam Vecenie, Derik Queen is the player who falls into the Bulls’ lap. Queen is a versatile big man with upside as a playmaking five.
“Queen is an outstanding player, a playmaking big man who steps up in the biggest moments and continues to just produce whenever necessary,” Vecenie wrote. “His showdown with fellow perimeter playmaking center Danny Wolf in the Big Ten tournament was one of the most fun games of the week, as Queen went for 32 points and nearly put Maryland on his back to win the game. Queen is averaging 16.3 points, nine rebounds and two assists, but that undersells his passing ability. Queen is the exact kind of offensive playmaking center whom teams would love to have, especially if you believe he has potential to shoot from distance.”
If the Bulls were to draft a big man during the summer, allowing them to learn from Vucevic for a season would be a wise move. Vucevic is a true professional. He’s also one of the Bulls’ most consistent performers. He’s the ideal role model for a young center entering the NBA.
Bulls Should Re-Sign Tre Jones
Tre Jones is another player who has impressed in recent months. Jones joined Chicago’s roster as part of the trade that sent Zach LaVine to the Sacramento Kings. During a March 8 postgame news conference, head coach Billy Donovan praised Jones’ overall production.
“He’s got something, he’s got the IT factor to me,” Donovan said. “He really does. He’s just a winner. You can look at size and length for position and he probably doesn’t have any of those things. But he has really good speed, he’s really tough, he’s got a high IQ, he understands competition. He can really stay in the moment and compete. The last two games on the road he’s been great. He’s got a lot of substance, a lot of competitive character to him.”
Jones will be an unrestricted free agent in the summer. The Bulls should ensure he re-signs with the franchise. He’s young enough to keep improving but experienced enough to make an impact. Keeping Jones and Vucevic could ensure Chicago remains competitive as the roster re-tooling takes place.
