The Bulls were determined to re-sign their free agents this summer and center Nikola Vucevic was the top priority, general manager Marc Eversley told K.C. Johnson of NBC Sports Chicago.
Appearing on the Bulls Talk podcast, Eversley discussed the need for continuity, especially regarding Vucevic, who has been with Chicago since a trade deadline deal in 2021. Vucevic opted to forgo free agency and accepted a three-year, $60MM extension.
“I’m excited for Vooch,” Eversley said. “There’s not many starting centers in the NBA. So if Vooch were to go away, how would you replace him? Those options were just not appealing to us. So retaining him became the No. 1 goal of the offseason.”
Vucevic will turn 33 in October, but he’s coming off a productive season. He played 82 games for the first time in his career and averaged 17.6 points, 11.0 rebounds and 3.2 assists per night while shooting 52% from the floor and 34.9% from beyond the arc.
The Bulls also re-signed guards Coby White and Ayo Dosunmu, setting up a battle for playing time in a crowded backcourt. They added Jevon Carter and Torrey Craig as well to cap off a productive free agent session.
On the first night of free agency, White committed to a three-year, $36MM deal that could reach $40MM with incentives. He’s coming off the worst scoring season of his career at 9.7 PPG, but the Bulls are happy with other parts of his game.
“Coby White had, I thought, a terrific year last year. I think the growth he has shown over the last three years has been second to nobody on the roster,” Eversley said. “I think his ability to shoot (and) he’s much more comfortable handling it now. He doesn’t get pressured or panic anymore.
“He has found his voice in the locker room. He has become a quiet leader. We’ve seen growth and development from him. And that’s why it was critical to bring him back.”
Dosunmu, who started 51 games in his second NBA season, signed a three-year, $21MM contract as a restricted free agent. He earned second-team All-Rookie honors in 2022, but experienced a decline in his three-point shooting last season.
“He would not argue with me; he didn’t have quite the second year he thought he might’ve,” Eversley said. “Call it a sophomore slump. But we’ve seen him in the Advocate Center and how hard he has worked from the end of the season to today and there’s nothing but good things that are going to happen to him.”
Blahblahblah from Mr. Invisible.
Not sure if I should take this seriously or if it’s just lip service.
You should take it as an insult to your basketball intelligence, anyone who wants to win would not have re signing Vuc as the number 1 goal
He is saying the bulls don’t care about winning. This is your number one priority. Who is the starting PG this year?
Might want to fire that guy.
But why??
Were they not in on Poetl before quickly pivoting back to Vucevic?
“ There’s not many starting centers in the NBA”
Can I have some of what he’s smoking please
He’s eight there’s not a lot of good ones but you can argue the center he gave up ( never mind the lotto picks in addition) is better than the center he traded for! I rather have Carter jt over vooch
There are good centers out there but in silvers SBA I mean NBA he wants fast pace , shoot threes, less FT shots, no dribbling, no defense, no coaches, big money, no passion, no more college game, draft only for potential, midget basketball, canceling the center and power forward potsion, 6’6 centers out there. 8 steps to dunk a ball, everyone watching the opposing team shoot, just a horrible product. 60s, 70s, 80s, 90s,00s could destroy the players of today so this the weakest the league talent wise has ever been. I’ll consider maybe 5 players from today who are legends
Luke, what are you even talking about? Did you not see the playoffs, where basically every round was decided or at least weighted by the defense and rebounding in the middle? The Cavs and Kings got out-rebounded and couldn’t feed their guards when it mattered, and Sabonis couldn’t defend effectively. The Bucks were missing Giannis the whole first round, and it really showed. The Nets couldn’t deal with the bigger Sixers in the slightest. The Grizzlies couldn’t handle Davis and LeBron attacking the rim and Davis anchoring the defense. And the Warriors had the same problem in the next round. Bam kept the Heat in every series despite being weaker on paper, just as much as Butler did, because he could defend and rebound at a high level and didn’t need to hit jumpers to be effective. About the only teams that didn’t live and die by what they had in the middle were the Celtics and Suns, and both lost to teams that did a better job at the 5 than they did, even so.
Also, the last three MVPs are Centers, and the two previous are a PF. The last five straight MVPs don’t look like their positions are being erased from the league. And frankly, neither to most PFs and Cs in the league.
Weakest league talent-wise my arse. The roleplayers of today would be All-Stars in the 90s. Defense looks different because the rules against help defense and zones are gone and the speed is way up. It’s not “everybody iso and attack the post” anymore. The game is built on transition, switching, and good shot selection. Most old-school centers are out of the league because they’re too slow, both to score and on defense. They’d be in the G-league like Jahlil Okafor. The game is different from what we grew up with. But it’s no less competitive.
I get the gripes with too much shooting (there is), not enough physicality (there isn’t), and Silver not being a great chairman (he’s not). But that take isn’t rooted in reality. At all.
Defense and Vucevic should not be in the same sentence. This is the biggest problem with paying him $60 million over three years. You have to put him on the bench in the fourth quarter of tight games because he gets exploited defensively. He is shooting 34% from the arc. Why do you have him shooting three’s???
Andre Drummond and Bismack Biyombo would provide a stronger interior defense with better rebounding. You won’t miss much on offense despite Drummond and Biyombo being offensive liabilities.
Vucevic brings enough liabilities on defense to just let him walk.
Bulls keep thinking that if Lonzo didn’t get hurt everything would be fine. Wrong! Lonzo is just ok.
This should be Year 2 of the rebuild. You could have even kept LaVine.
Like all teams, the Bulls have to put someone on the floor to play center. Resigning Vucevic was the Bull’s best option.
Drummond was a starter the season before they signed him, he would do just fine and they could have spent the money on other more important roles.
Your point is good. But Drummond can’t step outside and shoot at all or pass from the high post. Drummond is just a big strong guy around the rim which isn’t a bad thing.
Keeping Vuc should never be any team’s top priority. And certainly not the Bulls. He’s a three-level scorer and can rebound, but his defense is awful for a Center. They need a true PF and to sort out their point guard situation before worrying about that. It’s a good thing if they plan on winning anything, but not what should be their priority.
I think a real PG is the real priority….
The Bulls are the new Wizards, seemingly content with being mediocre without engaging a much-needed rebuild.
They need to free up usage sooner rather than later to see what they actually have in Patrick Williams.
Funny thing is, I think eversley used to work for the wizards.
Making a 32-year old a priority is questionable for any team not playing with what it believes is a contending roster. Particularly at the league’s only real deep position. But Vuce isn’t any part of CHI’s problems on either end, and the contract he signed reflects value based on how he’s played this past year.
Even in a rebuild (short of a tankathon), Vuce would be one of the 4-5 guys that I’d like to keep. Neither LaVine or DDR would make that cut.
Their #1 priority was the failed attempts to trade Lavine
i love vooch but we dont have a PG!!!!!!
You have Carter and Dosunmu.
And Portland is still glad they picked Sam Bowie ahead of both Michael Jordan and Charles Barkley.
Fournier, Quickley, Grimes, #1 pick.
DeM DeR to Knicks …….
Get it done ……. helps both teams.
I’d move Williams to SF, LaVine SG
Grimes can backup Zach. Quickley is not a game manager yet. But he will get it. His stats as a starter are exceptional. Both Grimes and Quickley play both ways. Now if Bulls sign Wood. They are right back in the hunt.