The Chicago Bulls and Nikola Vucevic announced Wednesday that they have agreed to a contract extension.
Administrator: We have extended @tweet pic.twitter.com/bA1RRs9LBq
– Chicago Bulls (@chicagobulls) June 28, 2023
Nikola Vucevic signs a three-year extension with the Chicago Bulls
Vucevic, who was set to become an unrestricted free agent within days, signed a three-year, $60 million extension to stay with the Bulls. He informed Vucevic’s agents, Bill Duffy and Rady Filipović ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski About the terms of the deal.
Vucevic joined the Bulls in March 2021 after being traded from the Orlando Magic. The Bulls acquired Vucevic and Al-Farouq Aminu in exchange for Wendell Carter Jr. and Otto Porter and two future first-round picks.
Vucevic played 26 games for the Bulls in 2021, averaging 21.5 points and 11.5 rebounds.
In his two full seasons with the Bulls, Vucevic averaged 17.6 points and 11.0 rebounds. The 33-year-old is solid, having played in all 82 matches this past season.
Chicago Bulls at a crossroads
Chicago Bulls center Nikola Vucevic is finalizing a three-year, $60 million contract extension, agents Bill Duffy and Raid Filipovic told ESPN.
– Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 28, 2023
Having made the playoffs once since the 2017-2018 season, the Bulls are in the worst place to be in the NBA: mediocrity.
The organization must decide whether to hit the reset button and trade their top assets or hope they can turn it around by signing players in rotation to play with their superstars.
DeMar DeRozan is entering the final year of his contract and will make $28,600,000. Zach LaVine, on the other hand, is in the second year of a huge year 5-year contract, $215,159,700.
The teams will line up to trade for DeRozan. Despite the expensive contract, teams in need of a superstar, like the New York Knicks, would also be interested in trading for LaVine. It all depends on the Chicago management and whether they want to put their stars on the trading block.
The NBA Free Agency begins Friday, June 30th at 6 p.m. ET.