Despite holding a 12-point lead with less than six minutes remaining, the Chicago Bulls nearly allowed the Utah Jazz to complete a second comeback victory against them this season. Chicago led 116–104 with 5:31 to play and still held an eight-point cushion as the clock dipped under two minutes.
Yet a flurry of Keyonte George free throws tied the game at 124 with 58 seconds remaining, as George converted six at the line in under a minute. After another lead change and a tie in the final moments, Chicago put the ball in Coby White’s hands with the game on the line. White missed a potential go-ahead three, but Isaac Okoro tracked down the rebound before it went out of bounds and fired it to Tre Jones in the corner. Jones quickly swung the ball to a wide-open Nikola Vučević, who finished a layup to secure the Bulls’ victory.
Nikola Vucevic continues his steady production
This wasn’t the first time Vučević has played the hero for the Bulls. With three game-winning baskets this season, his production looks much like years past, even as he surpasses 1,000 career games in his age-35 campaign.
39 games into Year 15, Vučević is averaging 16.9 points, 9.2 rebounds, 3.7 assists, and 1.8 three-pointers per game, while shooting 50.3 percent from the field and 37.8 percent from beyond the arc. He has proven to be remarkably consistent and, perhaps most importantly, unwaveringly reliable.
But the praise shouldn’t stop there. Vučević is averaging 20.6 points, 10.6 rebounds, and 5.3 assists per game in January, making him the only player in the NBA posting 20, 10, and five. He’s doing so while shooting 53.6 percent from the field and 37.5 percent from three—production that has spiked as the trade deadline looms.
Vucevic’s strong play boosts his trade value
While the 35-year-old has been a perennial name in trade rumors, this deadline represents the most realistic chance he’ll ever be moved. Beyond his impressive production, it’s Vučević’s expiring contract that finally makes him an appealing option. He’s owed $21.5 million before hitting unrestricted free agency this offseason, placing him firmly in short-term rental territory and ensuring he won’t burden a potential suitor’s long-term finances.
ESPN’s Bobby Marks recently named Vučević as the Bulls’ main trade target to watch. In his assessment, Marks emphasized Vučević’s consistency, durability, and modest expiring contract, noting that his $21.5 million salary ranks 14th among starting centers.
All in all, the 35-year-old is playing his best basketball of the season at the perfect time. A strong start followed by a couple of uneven months appeared to stall the Bulls’ hopes of extracting meaningful trade value for Vučević. But he has since rounded back into form, restoring belief that a return for the former All-Star could once again be worthwhile.