Nikola Vucevic, C
Really the first true off game that the former Orlando Magic star big man Nikola Vucevic had in his run with the Bulls this year came in their loss to the Jazz back on April 2. The 6-foot-11 and 260 pound 30-year-old center Vooch did have a solid outing, though, for the Bulls in their win over the Nets on April 4.
To round out the weekend, Vooch nabbed his second double-double in five tries with the Bulls. It was also his second double-double in the last three games. Vooch isn’t up to the same point in terms of his counting stats and shooting percentages that he was in his run with the Magic prior to the trade deadline. But that should only be a matter of time before the system sticks with him.
Vooch is already looking more comfortable in the last two or three games than he did in the first two since the deadline on March 25. The two-time All-Star selection registered a double-double with a game-high 13 rebounds and 22 points in the win over the Nets. If that’s the type of production that the Bulls get down the stretch from Vooch, they’ll have a good run to the playoffs.
Two of the key moves that the Bulls new front office regime made at the deadline included getting Vucevic from the Magic and center Daniel Theis from the Celtics. Those two are already getting to the frontcourt rotation at a high level, and starting to take a lot of minutes away from fourth-year power forward Lauri Markkanen.