We've seen it before. The Chicago Bulls are, and have been, attempting to trade veteran big man Nikola Vucevic for quite some time. The 34-year-old doesn't fit the Bulls' core; he's only appeared in 16 postseason contests amid a statistically impressive career, and his defensive deficiencies are too much for Chicago to overcome with an already shaky grouping of perimeter defenders.
The list could go on. Vucevic deserves better as he enters the twilight years of his career, and Chicago must continue revamping its lineup with an infusion of youth. The Bulls already tried to jettison Vucevic once to the Golden State Warriors prior to the trade deadline. However, the deal ultimately fell through as Chicago prioritized a first-rounder in exchange for the former All-Star. The Warriors didn't budge and traded for Jimmy Butler soon thereafter.
Months later, the rumblings have begun to re-amplify. Hoops Wire's Sam Amico reported, "The Bulls are expected to aggressively explore trades involving center this summer." Nothing too profound here, it's a well-known fact that the Bulls remain eager to find the 34-year-old big man a new home. Still notable, considering a trade involving Vucevic isn't one to rattle the NBA, therefore it's interesting to hear his name continued to be recycled in the rumor mill.
The Chicago Bulls' delusion is never-ending
Within weeks of Amico's sentiment, Forbes' Evan Sidery added fire to the always-burning flame, posting, "If a team were to offer a late-first for Vucevic before the 2025 draft, Chicago is very open to the idea."
Adding a first-round pick in return for Vucevic is a terrific idea. But is it logical? No. The Bulls have dangled the double-double threat for a first-rounder seemingly forever, yet nothing has come to fruition. On a positive note, Vucevic will play next season on an expiring pact, for $21.4 million—he's easily tradable.
Still, no matter how liquid of an asset Vucevic is, he's evidently not worth a first-round pick. At 34 years old, he produced at a near-All-Star level. Nevertheless, soon-to-be 35-year-old defensive sieves aren't exactly hot commodities.
Revisiting a similar trade, the Washington Wizards sent Jonas Valanciunas to the Sacramento Kings in February in exchange for forward Sidy Cissoko (who was subsequently waived), a 2028 second-round pick, and a 2029 second-round pick. Valanciunas, although not as accomplished as Vucevic, is almost two years younger and owed merely $20 million over the next two seasons with a non-guaranteed salary in 2026-27. Thus, it's fair to assume both centers' values are similar.
The Valanciunas return, or lack thereof, brings us back to Sidery's report. Chicago's supposed asking price for Vucevic remains too steep. A first-round pick, especially in this year's draft, is implausible. Moreover, not many teams in the 20s, perhaps other than the Boston Celtics or LA Clippers, make sense as a destination for the 6-foot-10 center.
Would the Celtics or Clippers even consider Vucevic for an ever-so valuable first-round pick? There's a slight possibility, but it would likely mean Chicago taking back an excess in salary. For instance, Kristaps Porzingis and the 28th overall pick in exchange for Vucevic, Julian Phillips, and the 45th overall pick works financially for both squads. As for the Clippers, Bogdan Bogdanovic and the 30th pick for Vooch and the 45th pick is viable.
Still, the hypothetical trade packages above are all speculation. But if anything, it should be assumed that a Vucevic-for-first-round pick is off the table. The most likely scenario involves Chicago absorbing excess salary and including its second-rounder in the trade as collateral.