It’s hard revisiting the Nikola Vucevic trade that sent him to Chicago. At the time, it seemed as though the new Bulls front office was serious about winning at any cost. Well, that cost ended up being Wendell Carter Jr., 2021 first-round pick, which ended up becoming Franz Wagner, and a 2023 first-round pick. Looking at the breakout season Wendell Carter Jr. is having despite the Magic overloading their roster with big men, one could say the Bulls lost that trade just by swapping Wendell Carter Jr. for Nikola Vucevic. It gets a little more complicated because Vucevic was the reason DeMar DeRozan chose the Bulls. It doesn’t help the argument because the Bulls gave up Franz Wager, a potential franchise player, for an early exit in the playoffs.

“[NIKOLA] Vučević didn’t even receive an extension offer last offseason and entered the season professionally yet emphatically talking about needing to play less on the perimeter and getting more paint touches.” SAID KC JOHNSON

Nikola Vucevic Contract Situation

Nikola Vucevic is on an expiring contract making him an unrestricted free agent this upcoming summer. After making $22 million per season in his previous contract, Vucevic isn’t planning to take a pay cut for his next contract. After locking into Zach LaVine for a five-year deal and the Bulls recognizing DeMar DeRozan as their best player, this leaves the future of the last of the ‘Big 3’ still up in the air.

With Nikola Vucevic, DeMar DeRozan, and Zach LaVine on the floor, the underwhelming trio has the 8th worse net rating in the NBA. If the Bulls and Vucevic are so far apart in negotiations that the front office didn’t even bother offering him a contract, it seems his days are numbered in Chicago.

Potential Nikola Vucevic Outcome Scenarios

There are only three legitimate options heading into the NBA trade deadline. First, the Bulls do absolutely nothing with Vucevic and allow him to enter unrestricted free agency, which could likely result in him walking in exchange for nothing. This would be the absolute worst-case scenario. Second one: Bulls trade Nikola Vucevic before the deadline. The Lakers are the only desperate team out there looking to flip at least one of their first-round picks for a ‘star’ player. If the Bulls make Vucevic available, they could acquire a protected first-round pick from the Lakers to use in another future trade. Third scenario: sign Vucevic in the summer. This seems like the most unlikely scenario, given the inefficiency on the floor with their other two long-term players. However, it’s still a viable option for both sides if things turn around once Lonzo Ball returns.