Getty Bulls center Nikola Vucevic
The Chicago Bulls had a successful 2021-22 season. They made the playoffs for the first time since 2017 and had two players (DeMar DeRozan, Zach LaVine) make the All-Star team.
Unfortunately, the Bulls’ season ended on a sour note. They lost to the Milwaukee Bucks in the first round of the playoffs in five games, losing Games 3, 4 and 5 in blowout fashion.
Bulls executive vice president Arturas Karnisovas told reporters during his exit interview that he wants to retain his core and build continuity. However, Zach Buckley of Bleacher Report believes Chicago should trade its third All-Star this summer.
In a May 4 piece, Buckley proposed that the Bulls trade Nikola Vucevic to the Dallas Mavericks for Dwight Powell, Reggie Bullock and a future first-round pick (lottery-protected). The Bleacher Report insider thinks Bullock and Powell would help the Bulls become a better defensive team.
“Assuming the Bulls plan to move forward with the DeRozan-LaVine duo—unrestricted free agency awaits the latter—they might have to make a move in the middle,” Buckley wrote. “They would lose a little scoring zip in this deal, but they could grow exponentially more mobile and athletic by adding Bullock on the perimeter and Powell on the interior. Toss in a future first, and Chicago’s front office would gain a trade chip if it wanted to pursue further defensive upgrades.”
Vucevic appeared in 73 games this season. The two-time All-Star averaged 17.6 points, 11.0 rebounds and 3.2 assists while shooting 47.3% from the field, 31.4% from beyond the arc and 76.0% from the free-throw line, which are solid numbers.
However, since the Bulls finished the season 23rd in defensive efficiency, Buckley believes Vucevic should be traded this offseason for two better defenders in Bullock and Powell.
Buckley: Vucevic Is Limited Defensively
The Bulls allowed the fourth-most field goals inside of five feet and the ninth-most paint points. Vucevic averaged 1.0 blocks and finished the season with a defensive rating of 109.6.
“Lonzo Ball and Alex Caruso masked those shortcomings as much as they could, but injuries forced them off the floor, and cracks had formed in the coverage even before then,” Buckley wrote. “Chicago offered very little resistance on the interior, allowing the fourth-most field goals inside of five feet and the ninth-most paint points.
“While those issues can’t all be pinned on Vucevic, his limitations at that end were cemented long before the season tipped. In the past, he had compensated with quantity-plus-quality numbers on offense, but he never quite found his niche this season as the Bulls’ third banana behind DeMar DeRozan and Zach LaVine. In other words, Chicago couldn’t squeeze enough out of Vucevic’s strengths but had to bear all of his weaknesses.”
Bullock and Powell are solid defenders who can also bring some punch on offense. The former is a career 38.5% shooter from beyond the arc, while the latter is an athletic rim roller who can finish in heavy traffic. Powell shot 78.2% at the rim this season with the Mavericks.
While Buckley thinks the Bulls should part ways with Vucevic for Bullock and Powell, it doesn’t sound like Karnisovas is interested in trading the USC product.
Karnisovas on Vucevic
Karnisovas spoke highly of Vucevic during his exit interview, calling the big man “a vital part of what we run on offense.”
“He was one of our most durable players,” Karnisovas said about Vucevic. “And I think if you think about the rotations, guards going in and out, wings going in and out, I think he would have been probably the hardest guy to replace, but he stayed available and he’s been a vital part of what we run on offense.”
Vucevic will make $22 million next season. The Bulls can sign him to an extension this offseason.