It didn't take long for the Chicago Bulls to take over the game against the Victory Wembanyama-less San Antonio Spurs. Chicago started hot, converting on seven of their first 10 field goal attempts, including a 3-of-3 start and six points from Nikola Vucevic and a 2-of-2 start from Ayo Dosunmu.
A little bit of purposeful foreshadowing to start the article as Vucevic led the Bulls in points, scoring a season-high 39 on the night, while Dosunmu also tallied a season-high point total of 27. The 6-foot-5 guard stuffed the box score, adding 10 rebounds and 11 assists to his season-high. Ayo's triple-double marked the second consecutive game in which a Bull recorded the impressive statistic. Josh Giddey recorded his first triple-double of the season in Chicago's Monday night victory over the Brooklyn Nets.
Vucevic and Dosunmu contributed to a Bulls' season-high of 139 points. Chicago shot a remarkable 57.8 percent from the floor and 45.9 percent from beyond the arc, cashing in on 17-of-37 three-point attempts. Chicago recorded 36 assists on 52 made field goals. Five Bulls notched four or more assists on the night.
Chicago defeated San Antonio despite turning the ball over 19 times and conceding 33 points off turnovers. Although the Bulls' offensive sloppiness led to numerous easy buckets, Chicago executed well defensively in the half-court. The Spurs connected on just 28.6 percent of their three-pointers and struggled to find good looks. Four of the five San Antonio starters shot less than 50 percent from the floor.
The Bulls are now 10-13 on the season after knocking off the Spurs. Chicago's record will certainly be worth monitoring as the season progresses. The Bulls continue to be mired in trade rumors and at risk of losing their first-round pick if they sink below 10th in the draft order—signaling a potential rebuild on the horizon. Consequently, veterans Zach LaVine, Lonzo Ball, and Vucevic are the most notable trade candidates.
Vucevic's standout performance affirms Chicago's high asking price
All three veterans are playing well thus far, but Vucevic's 39-point performance is most noteworthy. Vooch has now scored 20 or more points on 13 occasions this season. He's exceeded the 30-point plateau in two of his past three games, all while shooting 68 percent or better.
After a miserable shooting season in 2023-24, Vucevic is converting 63.4 percent of his twos and 47.6 percent of his threes this season, a massive improvement upon last season's percentages, 55.0 and 29.4, respectively. Vucevic's true shooting percentage is up nearly 14 percentage points over last year's mark.
Vucevic's turnaround is quite impressive, to say the least. He's gone from a potential salary dump to a player who may be involved in a bidding war come the February trade deadline. His trade value is on an upward trajectory.
In a recent report from HoopHype's Michael Scotto, it was made known that the Bulls' asking price of Vucevic is "too high." However, after dropping 39 points on unbelievable efficiency (72.7 percent), Chicago's exorbitant asking price only continues to be justified. The 6-foot-10 is playing at a torrid pace, even knocking down more than half of his triples in his last 10 games. If he keeps up his efficiency, there's no telling what the Bulls will receive in exchange for the 34-year-old big man.
League executives have recently pegged Vucevic's trade value at two second-rounders. Nonetheless, it can be assumed Chicago prefers at least a first-round pick in exchange for Nikola. Perhaps if the former All-Star were only on contract for this season, Chicago would be accepting of second-rounders. This isn't the case, as Vucevic is signed through 2026 and owed a modest $21.4 million next season.
If there are any takeaways from Thursday's onslaught, it's that the Bulls' front office's stubbornness is paying off. Instead of shipping off Vucevic and LaVine a season ago, holding onto the two stars has paid dividends, and Vucevic's 39-point performance is a direct indicator of such.