Vucevic Trade Watch 2025

[Infinity2152]

Would basically the only reason people want Vucevic bought out is because they don't believe Donovan would ever bring him off the bench? Let's look at the logic. We buy Vucevic out, save $4 mill. We add a $4 mill vet min center to replace him for the year. Is that replacement really likely better than Vucevic? If one of Collins or Smith get traded, and Donovan decides the one that's left is a better starter than Vuc, doesn't Vucevic become maybe the best backup center in the league?

Likely much better than whoever we bring in with the savings and roster spot from buying him out, anyway. he's about to be 35, in trade rumors all summer and Collins played well. Not inconceivable Donovan might try bringing him off the bench behind Collins. Don't know how much that helps our rim protection.

[HomoSapien]

I have more faith in Pat turning it around than him, but having both compete on the same roster could help both.

One is a guy who doesn't care if he plays. The other desperately wants to. I'm putting my money on that guy, personally.

Your putting your money on the guy who has very little basketball ability, thinks he's a star despite showing nothing that could lead to this and wants 30M a season? If you want to put your money on a player with a potato for a brain then I don’t know what you think will happen?

He doesn't just want to play, he wants to play as the star he thinks he is.

Sadly, potato for a brain is an upgrade over Pat.

[Dez]

One is a guy who doesn't care if he plays. The other desperately wants to. I'm putting my money on that guy, personally.

Your putting your money on the guy who has very little basketball ability, thinks he's a star despite showing nothing that could lead to this and wants 30M a season? If you want to put your money on a player with a potato for a brain then I don’t know what you think will happen?

He doesn't just want to play, he wants to play as the star he thinks he is.

Sadly, potato for a brain is an upgrade over Pat.

It's really not even with lack of motor, he's better at 18M than at anything Kuminga gets.

[sco]

Would basically the only reason people want Vucevic bought out is because they don't believe Donovan would ever bring him off the bench? Let's look at the logic. We buy Vucevic out, save $4 mill. We add a $4 mill vet min center to replace him for the year. Is that replacement really likely better than Vucevic? If one of Collins or Smith get traded, and Donovan decides the one that's left is a better starter than Vuc, doesn't Vucevic become maybe the best backup center in the league?

Likely much better than whoever we bring in with the savings and roster spot from buying him out, anyway. he's about to be 35, in trade rumors all summer and Collins played well. Not inconceivable Donovan might try bringing him off the bench behind Collins. Don't know how much that helps our rim protection.

First, 100% Billy will not bring Vuc off the bench. And while I think our roster could work if we did that because this roster lacks bench scoring and while Vuc is largely just a bumslayer on offense, when playing bench opponents, that's what he'd be facing. That said, the logic isn't to find a $4M vet min C to replace him. The point of ridding us of Vuc is to use this season to get a sense of what Coby, Matas and Giddey can do with a starting line-up that is able to play with pace, defend POA and the paint/rim. Vuc's offensive need to be fed the ball, takes away clarity from everyone else's role on offense of a supposedly uptempo team. It also doesn't let us see how the dynamic of our new core 3 works or doesn't work, in a year where we need to decide if we are reupping Coby for big $. It also gets in the way of Matas taking on the mantle of 3rd option scorer (ideally 2nd). Defensively, it's hard to tell just how bad Coby and Giddey are if everyone else on the team is made to look worse because the system needs to hedge paint coverage to cover for Vuc. If I'm a coach, I just tell my team to make a lay-up line and keep attacking the paint until the 3pt line becomes as open as an Iowa corn field. Even those Smith and Collins are not elite at paint and rim protection, they are so much better than Vuc at filling the needed role.

[dougthonus]

Would basically the only reason people want Vucevic bought out is because they don't believe Donovan would ever bring him off the bench? Let's look at the logic. We buy Vucevic out, save $4 mill. We add a $4 mill vet min center to replace him for the year. Is that replacement really likely better than Vucevic? If one of Collins or Smith get traded, and Donovan decides the one that's left is a better starter than Vuc, doesn't Vucevic become maybe the best backup center in the league?

Likely much better than whoever we bring in with the savings and roster spot from buying him out, anyway. he's about to be 35, in trade rumors all summer and Collins played well. Not inconceivable Donovan might try bringing him off the bench behind Collins. Don't know how much that helps our rim protection.

I've been one of the biggest Vuc haters since the trade, but no need to worry about him at all anymore. I think he's like a sub 5M dollar quality player at this point and a mediocre fit for our roster, but who cares. He's on an expiring deal. Maybe he's useful in matching salary for a trade. Worst case is he's fine as a depth piece. It's not like Collins and Smith are night and day better. We've got three mediocre centers on the roster.

He's probably my last choice to play center to unlock this team in the way we want to play, but he's last by only a small margin. None of our options are really all that great and it's super unlikely any are long term options, nor is it likely the next year is all that important from a win/loss perspective.

In the end, the correct thought for Vuc at this point for me is mostly no thought at all. There's no real reason to buy him out, no real reason to be super upset if he plays, no real reason to be super upset if he doesn't play. He's an after thought now. He isn't important to the present or the future, nor is there some big opportunity cost no matter what we do with him.

Assuming there's no trade market for him where we get back some value, I'd probably just keep him on the roster, because having more trade options just for salary matching is probably more flexibility than having a roster spot for a vet min guy.

[ChettheJet]

I think Billy starts Vuc out of respect for his tenure in the league and with the Bulls, which is why I want to move on from him. Maybe he doesn't play 30 minutes but you don't embarrass a 15 year veteran by having him come off the bench for short minutes or your franchise gets a reputation with players and agents and people turn their backs on you. He is somewhat of a leader for a young team but with the departure of DeRozan, Caruso, Lavine, Vuc is the last to go and some guys have to take the responsibility of leadership. Vuc's value comes next summer when he isn't here but $21M in cap space is.

I don't think Collins and Smith are necessarily 'better' but they fill slightly different roles,no pun intended, they're more active, rolling to the basket, getting a lob, getting the heck out of the lane at times and inside from the arc more often, switching on defense. They also open up more shots for Matas, Huerter, Jones, Patrick despite those of you who think he's a corpse.

[samwana]

Vuc doesn't fit in our starting lineup because he is a bad defender. He may not be bad on offense, but he needs way too much attention and usage to fit in our high speed offense and he takes up driving space for all other players.
Buyout would be best for us, he can go ring chase with Luka, I don't care. I just don't wantbtonsee him pouting again on our young team. He is not a leader and never has been either, he just has more experience than our other guys.

[Red8911]

No do not buy out Vuc just to help out Lebron/Lakers get another quality big for free.

He could still get traded by the start of the season but if he doesn’t there’s really no problem with him staying another year.

A buy out is unlikely unless Vuc himself pushes for it and takes a pay cut to make it happen.

Fear not, Vuc isn't a quality big. He is a vet min player. it doesn't matter if anyone gets him for free.

No he is a quality big despite this Bulls board labeling him a scrub who doesn’t know how to play basketball.

He’s obviously not young anymore but he still produces,still makes a difference offensively and consistently gets that double double.

Defense was always his weakness but you can’t disregard everything else he provides and call him a vet min player. Thats simply not true and I know based on your posts you just never liked the guy.

I do think the Bulls should move on from Vuc, but no reason to disrespect him. He’s not a bad player, this team just needs a different type of starting center but still wouldn’t just buy him out. Either trade or keep him for another year.

[Infinity2152]

Would basically the only reason people want Vucevic bought out is because they don't believe Donovan would ever bring him off the bench? Let's look at the logic. We buy Vucevic out, save $4 mill. We add a $4 mill vet min center to replace him for the year. Is that replacement really likely better than Vucevic? If one of Collins or Smith get traded, and Donovan decides the one that's left is a better starter than Vuc, doesn't Vucevic become maybe the best backup center in the league?

Likely much better than whoever we bring in with the savings and roster spot from buying him out, anyway. he's about to be 35, in trade rumors all summer and Collins played well. Not inconceivable Donovan might try bringing him off the bench behind Collins. Don't know how much that helps our rim protection.

I've been one of the biggest Vuc haters since the trade, but no need to worry about him at all anymore. I think he's like a sub 5M dollar quality player at this point and a mediocre fit for our roster, but who cares. He's on an expiring deal. Maybe he's useful in matching salary for a trade. Worst case is he's fine as a depth piece. It's not like Collins and Smith are night and day better. We've got three mediocre centers on the roster.

He's probably my last choice to play center to unlock this team in the way we want to play, but he's last by only a small margin. None of our options are really all that great and it's super unlikely any are long term options, nor is it likely the next year is all that important from a win/loss perspective.

In the end, the correct thought for Vuc at this point for me is mostly no thought at all. There's no real reason to buy him out, no real reason to be super upset if he plays, no real reason to be super upset if he doesn't play. He's an after thought now. He isn't important to the present or the future, nor is there some big opportunity cost no matter what we do with him.

Assuming there's no trade market for him where we get back some value, I'd probably just keep him on the roster, because having more trade options just for salary matching is probably more flexibility than having a roster spot for a vet min guy.

Think this about where I'm at. Again, doesn't look like anyone wants to move him and thinks we actually get someone better. It's interesting people think it's ok to hold a hard line with Giddey, but for some reason Bulls are going to worry about Vuc's feelings, lol. Vuc will be 35, I don't think it's an insult to ask him to come off the bench at this age, especially as an expiring. He already knows the Bulls are prepared to trade him. He'd definitely bumslay and give us great contributions off the bench.

Don't think he'd be considered anywhere near a sub 5 mill player though, lmao! I'd be willing to gamble a considerable amount he gets double that this summer, at least.

Maybe the bigger problem is I don't think anyone outside this forum would say Collins or Smith are better centers or NBA players than Vucevic. They just seem to fit better, in the limited time we've seen them. Expect Vuc to play at least 30 minutes when healthy whether he starts or now. More important who finishes the games than who starts them, he'll play starters and bench players both either way.

[dougthonus]

No he is a quality big despite this Bulls board labeling him a scrub who doesn’t know how to play basketball.

He's terrible at defense, and while highly skilled, he hurts your offense because he's an inefficient, volume scorer. He's not a scrub in that sense, he's well rounded, and can do a lot of things, it's just because ultimately they don't help you much.

Defense was always his weakness but you can’t disregard everything else he provides and call him a vet min player. Thats simply not true and I know based on your posts you just never liked the guy.

I have analyzed him as a losing basketball player because his main strength is scoring, but he does so on below league average efficiency (for his whole career). He has a reputation as a shooter, despite having a single good three point shooting season in his career. You lose so much time getting him the ball in the post just to take a low efficiency shot that it destroys your offense.

He's just a very poor player from an analytical perspective on the offensive side of the ball because not only are his shoots poor analytically, but he pushes your offense into other poor analytical shots by chewing up too much time to get him looks when they don't pan out.

I don't think guys in that mold are valuable. They just look valuable.

[League Circles]

Would basically the only reason people want Vucevic bought out is because they don't believe Donovan would ever bring him off the bench? Let's look at the logic. We buy Vucevic out, save $4 mill. We add a $4 mill vet min center to replace him for the year. Is that replacement really likely better than Vucevic? If one of Collins or Smith get traded, and Donovan decides the one that's left is a better starter than Vuc, doesn't Vucevic become maybe the best backup center in the league?

Likely much better than whoever we bring in with the savings and roster spot from buying him out, anyway. he's about to be 35, in trade rumors all summer and Collins played well. Not inconceivable Donovan might try bringing him off the bench behind Collins. Don't know how much that helps our rim protection.

I've been one of the biggest Vuc haters since the trade, but no need to worry about him at all anymore. I think he's like a sub 5M dollar quality player at this point and a mediocre fit for our roster, but who cares. He's on an expiring deal. Maybe he's useful in matching salary for a trade. Worst case is he's fine as a depth piece. It's not like Collins and Smith are night and day better. We've got three mediocre centers on the roster.

He's probably my last choice to play center to unlock this team in the way we want to play, but he's last by only a small margin. None of our options are really all that great and it's super unlikely any are long term options, nor is it likely the next year is all that important from a win/loss perspective.

In the end, the correct thought for Vuc at this point for me is mostly no thought at all. There's no real reason to buy him out, no real reason to be super upset if he plays, no real reason to be super upset if he doesn't play. He's an after thought now. He isn't important to the present or the future, nor is there some big opportunity cost no matter what we do with him.

Assuming there's no trade market for him where we get back some value, I'd probably just keep him on the roster, because having more trade options just for salary matching is probably more flexibility than having a roster spot for a vet min guy.

This. Times have changed and he doesn't matter much now. I'd rather have Smith play and I do think he has a little bit of a chance to be our long term C, but it's not super crucial and I think he'll get a decent shot with or without Vuc and we have him another year anyway.

[sco]

No do not buy out Vuc just to help out Lebron/Lakers get another quality big for free.

He could still get traded by the start of the season but if he doesn’t there’s really no problem with him staying another year.

A buy out is unlikely unless Vuc himself pushes for it and takes a pay cut to make it happen.

Fear not, Vuc isn't a quality big. He is a vet min player. it doesn't matter if anyone gets him for free.

No he is a quality big despite this Bulls board labeling him a scrub who doesn’t know how to play basketball.

He’s obviously not young anymore but he still produces,still makes a difference offensively and consistently gets that double double.

Defense was always his weakness but you can’t disregard everything else he provides and call him a vet min player. Thats simply not true and I know based on your posts you just never liked the guy.

I do think the Bulls should move on from Vuc, but no reason to disrespect him. He’s not a bad player, this team just needs a different type of starting center but still wouldn’t just buy him out. Either trade or keep him for another year.

I'm still rooting for the pre-season buyout. I think we might get a $3-5 million discount.

Here's an article saying (probably just speculation) that AK is trying hard to move on.

https://www.yahoo.com/sports/article/bulls-trade-pitch-sends-nikola-142518372.html

[Evil_Headband]

I'm sure you guys have already discussed this and I've forgotten, but who do you think are good, realistic targets for a solid, long-term starting center? I think waiting to draft and develop an 18-year old will take too long with this current core. Bulls obviously have expiring contracts and picks to offer at the trade deadline or can wait until after the season when they'll have plenty of cap space.

[jnrjr79]

I'm sure you guys have already discussed this and I've forgotten, but who do you think are good, realistic targets for a solid, long-term starting center? I think waiting to draft and develop an 18-year old will take too long with this current core. Bulls obviously have expiring contracts and picks to offer at the trade deadline or can wait until after the season when they'll have plenty of cap space.

TBH, my sense of the board is most people would like to give Smith a year to see what he has before trading for/signing some other target. I think that’s the best idea, with the option to move on to someone in 2026 if you don’t think he’s a long-term starter.

[sco]

I'm sure you guys have already discussed this and I've forgotten, but who do you think are good, realistic targets for a solid, long-term starting center? I think waiting to draft and develop an 18-year old will take too long with this current core. Bulls obviously have expiring contracts and picks to offer at the trade deadline or can wait until after the season when they'll have plenty of cap space.

TBH, my sense of the board is most people would like to give Smith a year to see what he has before trading for/signing some other target. I think that’s the best idea, with the option to move on to someone in 2026 if you don’t think he’s a long-term starter.

That's where I'm at. IMO Smith, while a far cry from elite, has a number of attributes that I like. He does a decent job of defending in the paint (although he's a little short to guard the tallest C's). He has pretty good quickness to defend the perimeter. He is a good rebounder. He is good in transition. He can make FT's at 80%. He's not a good 3pt shooter, but I could see him getting up to 36% with more consistent minutes. And he's not old.

[kodo]

I'm sure you guys have already discussed this and I've forgotten, but who do you think are good, realistic targets for a solid, long-term starting center? I think waiting to draft and develop an 18-year old will take too long with this current core. Bulls obviously have expiring contracts and picks to offer at the trade deadline or can wait until after the season when they'll have plenty of cap space.

For 2026 the best ranked centers are:

1. Porzingis: barely plays, may extend with ATL before FA
2. John Collins: but I assume LAC traded for him to keep him
3. Nikola Vucevic
4. Zach Collins

I wonder how Vuc & Collins would look on the Bulls.
Especially if we add the best FA guards expected to be available, Zach Lavine & Coby White.

We'll be a brand new team in 2026.

[drosestruts]

I'm sure you guys have already discussed this and I've forgotten, but who do you think are good, realistic targets for a solid, long-term starting center? I think waiting to draft and develop an 18-year old will take too long with this current core. Bulls obviously have expiring contracts and picks to offer at the trade deadline or can wait until after the season when they'll have plenty of cap space.

Amongst our currently rostered centers - Jalen Smith is the most intruiging.

As the mayor of Kai Jones island, I would 100% buy out Carter and sign Kai Jones today.


Next summer I think there's a number of stop-gap centers still under 30 who could be interesting like:

Mitchell Robinson
Robert Williams III

[boozapalooza]

I'm sure you guys have already discussed this and I've forgotten, but who do you think are good, realistic targets for a solid, long-term starting center? I think waiting to draft and develop an 18-year old will take too long with this current core. Bulls obviously have expiring contracts and picks to offer at the trade deadline or can wait until after the season when they'll have plenty of cap space.

For 2026 the best ranked centers are:

1. Porzingis: barely plays, may extend with ATL before FA
2. John Collins: but I assume LAC traded for him to keep him
3. Nikola Vucevic
4. Zach Collins

I wonder how Vuc & Collins would look on the Bulls.
Especially if we add the best FA guards expected to be available, Zach Lavine & Coby White.

We'll be a brand new team in 2026.

Sabonis will be the “big ticket” acquisition of 2026, imo. Vuc replacement.

[ShouldaPaidBG]

I don't want a center that can't touch the top of the square.

[Ccwatercraft]

I don't want a center that can't touch the top of the square.

It drives me bonkers that he doesn't jump. I swear it costs him 50 misses a season with him missing a bunny shot that everyone else over 6'4" just dunks