Chicago Bulls: 3 astounding players for Billy Donovan in his first year

Chicago Bulls players who were astounding for Billy Donovan: Nikola Vucevic

By far the biggest trade deadline acquisition for executive vice president of basketball operations Arturas Karnisovas, general manager Marc Eversley, and the Bulls this season was the former Orlando Magic star center Nikola Vucevic. It took Karnisovas, Eversley, and the Bulls a lot of assets to get the 6-foot-11 and 260 pound 30-year-old big man to Chicago.

The Bulls had to deal out two first-round draft picks, veteran small forward Otto Porter Jr., and third-year center Wendell Carter Jr., to get Vooch and veteran forward Al-Farouq Aminu. And it looks like the Bulls will have Vooch and Aminu for at least one more season with the former Magic and Portland Trail Blazers 6-foot-8 forward likely opting into the final year of his current contract.

Vooch was solid for the Bulls for the most part in more than two dozen games played with the team post-deadline. His production did take a bit of a dip compared to where it was at pre-deadline with the Magic. But he should be able to get his numbers back up next season in a full run with star shooting guard Zach LaVine.

In the 26 games he did play in with the Bulls during the 2020-21 regular season, Vooch averaged 21.5 points per game, 11.5 rebounds, 3.9 assists, 0.9 steals, and 0.8 blocks. And he shot 47.7 percent from the field, 40.0 percent from beyond the arc, and 84.0 percent from the free-throw line. He was still good for the Bulls down the stretch and looks to be stellar for Donovan again next season.