The Chicago Bulls made an impact move to kick off the NBA trade deadline when they agreed to a deal for Orlando Magic big man Nikola Vucevic Thursday morning. It was the first real surprise of the day but certainly not the last. Now that the dust has settled, it’s time to take a deeper look at what Vucevic brings to this Bulls team.
Before that, it must be noted that the Bulls also filled the hole at the backup center spot by acquiring Daniel Theis in a late deal to beat the trade deadline timer. That combination on the depth chart at center erases a major weakness this team has had all season, although other holes were unable to be filled before the deadline passed.
Specifically, the team didn’t address the point guard position and didn’t find a trade partner for Lauri Markkanen. That doesn’t mean they didn’t get significantly better as a team, though. There’s no doubt the addition of Vucevic makes them a much better team today and for the rest of the season.
He brings a lot to the Bulls and will be an impact player from day one. Three specific things are noteworthy to highlight in terms of what he will bring to the team, though, and that’s what we’re going to do.
Chicago Bulls: 3 Things Nikola Vucevic brings to the team
A reliable offensive threat next to Zach LaVine
First and most obvious, the Chicago Bulls get a second reliable offensive threat by adding Vucevic to the team. Instead of asking inconsistent scorers like Coby White and to an extent Lauri Markkanen to step up offensively to win games the Bulls now have a luxury they did not have before the trade. That luxury is an elite scoring option beyond LaVine.
Vucevic is a great shooter that can score from any level on the court. The Bulls almost never went to the post prior to this trade and much of that likely had to do with the players they had. Wendell Carter Jr. saw under two post-up opportunities per game per NBA.com, a number that led the Bulls. Initially, that’s surprising because of the low number, but it makes sense that head coach Billy Donovan would stay away from offensive possessions that don’t play to the team’s strengths.
Fortunately for the Bulls that now changes. While the modern game may be moving away from post opportunities it remains a simple and effective way for skilled big men to get high-quality shot attempts. That’s why fans can expect to see more possessions go to the post now that Vucevic is on the team.
He has seen the third most post-up opportunities per game this season in the entire NBA. His 5.6 post-ups trails only Nikola Jokic and Joel Embiid. There is a reason for that high rate and that reason is it works.
The Bulls have hung around in the eastern conference despite having little ability to come across easy offensive possessions. Their new big man is going to make everyone’s lives a lot easier and help the efficiency of the offense from top to bottom.