Nikola Vucevic Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Nikola Vucevic Talks Future, Trade Rumors, LaVine, More

September 6th, 2024 at 1:25pm CST by Luke Adams

Speaking to veteran NBA reporter Marc Stein (Substack link) at Goran Dragic‘s farewell game in Slovenia recently, Bulls center Nikola Vucevic clarified his recent comments about wanting to play for four more seasons.

“I think that kind of came out wrong. It wasn’t that I want to play four more years. It was just more so that … they were asking me, like, am I thinking about retirement? I was just like, ‘Retiring?’ In my mind I have at least four more years and then I want to see from there what I can do,” Vucevic said. “But it came out as, like, I want to play four more years.

“I have two more years in this contract (with the Bulls). And hopefully I’m able to get two more after that, which will take me to 37. And at that time, I’ll have to see what I would like to do. This is more so four years of me being at a high level. Maybe in two years I’ll say four more. I said it in the moment; I didn’t think it’d turn into such a big thing.”

Vucevic, who has been with the Bulls since 2021, was the subject of trade rumors this offseason, but no deal materialized. It’s possible that will change before the season begins, but for now he projects to be Chicago’s starting center on opening night.

In his conversation with Stein, Vucevic discussed how he handles those trade rumors, the Bulls’ potential for 2024/25, Lonzo Ball‘s comeback chances, DeMar DeRozan‘s departure, his dip in three-point efficiency, and several other topics.

The interview is worth reading in full if you’re a subscriber to Stein’s Substack, but here are a few more highlights:

On dealing with trade rumors:

“I’m used to it at this point. Since I’ve been with the Bulls, I’ve been in a lot of trade stories, especially last summer as well throughout last season. So it’s just part of it. If things were going well and we’re winning and everything was great, that wouldn’t be the case. But because things weren’t going that well, we weren’t winning and we weren’t achieving our goals, then obviously change is bound to happen.

“Honestly, I know it’s a pretty basic answer, but you don’t have much control over it, so you kind of just wait and see. If they decide to change and trade me, it’s on them to do. Just like a year and a half ago I was a free agent and I could have chosen to go elsewhere. … I chose to stay and I felt like we had something to prove and unfortunately we didn’t do it. But now it’s a new team and I’m excited to play with these younger guys and I think we can play better than people think.”

On what he expects from Zach LaVine after a down year in 2023/24:

“I spoke to him a couple of times over the summer. He’s good health-wise. I think he’s in a good place mentally. I’m sure, knowing him, he’ll come back motivated to show that he’s still a great player — that maybe he kind of had a weird year last year with the injury and everything. I think he’s motivated to show people that it was just one season and that he’s a really good player.”

On the impact of DeRozan’s offseason exit:

“It’ll definitely be a little bit of an adjustment just because obviously we all know what he brought to us on the court. But I think also just his presence in general. DeMar was really liked and obviously very well respected in the locker room … kind of the guy that everybody gravitated towards and was always the storyteller of all these veteran stories and all these things and the young guys really gravitated towards that.”

Central Notes: Horton-Tucker, Bulls, Bucks, Pistons

September 5th, 2024 at 1:08pm CST by Rory Maher

Free agent guard Talen Horton-Tucker will reportedly be signing with his hometown Bulls. According to K.C. Johnson of NBC Sports Chicago, the five-year veteran will sign an Exhibit 10 deal for training camp.

Shams Charania of The Athletic, who broke the news of both deals, said that Horton-Tucker and Mac McClung (Magic) received partially guaranteed contracts. From the players’ perspective, that’s not wrong in a sense — the Exhibit 10 language in their contracts makes them eligible for a bonus worth $77.5K (on top of their G League salaries) if they’re waived and spend at least 60 days with their clubs’ NBAGL affiliates.

It is misleading though, because for NBA teams, Exhibit 10 deals are one-year, minimum-salary contracts that are non-guaranteed. For example, if Horton-Tucker is immediately cut after the deal is official, the Bulls won’t carry any dead money toward the salary cap. That’s different than a player like Keon Johnson — if the Nets waive him today for whatever reason, they would owe him his full $250K partial guarantee while carrying an identical dead-money cap hit for 2024/25.

Here’s more from the Central:

In another story for NBC Sports Chicago, Johnson attempts to predict the Bulls‘ starting lineup and rotation. Despite the obvious defensive shortcomings, Johnson believes Josh Giddey, Coby White, Zach LaVine, Patrick Williams and Nikola Vucevic is the “most logical” outcome for the starting five. However, only Ayo Dosunmu and free agent addition Jalen Smith seem like locks for rotation minutes off the bench, per Johnson.
Eric Nehm of The Athletic answers mailbag questions related to the Bucks, including whether they should reduce Giannis Antetokounmpo‘s workload during the upcoming season to try to keep him fresh ahead of a potential playoff run. Nehm also examines whether Taurean Prince could be used at power forward in small-ball lineups featuring Antetokounmpo at center.
Will the Pistons carry a 15th player on their standard roster to open the season? What about their remaining cap room — will they use it before the season starts or carry it over until the trade deadline? Keith Langlois of Pistons.com explores those questions.

And-Ones: Marjanovic, Vucevic, Rebuilding Teams, Cauley-Stein

August 31st, 2024 at 11:53am CST by Dana Gauruder

Boban Marjanovic turned 36 this month. The affable big man told Marc Stein in his latest Substack post that he’d like to still be playing at 40 years old, as LeBron James is doing.

“I want to stay in [the] NBA; this is the main goal,” he said. “I want my kids to be there and I want myself to be there.”

Marjanovic remains on the free agent market and continues to search for a new opportunity. He was on the Rockets’ roster last season.

We have more from around the international basketball world:

Bulls center Nikola Vucevic hasn’t ruled out the idea of finishing his career in Europe, but doesn’t plan to play overseas anytime soon, BasketNews.com relays. “I would love to play in the NBA for as long as possible. It’s the best league, with the best players and conditions,” Vucevic told Iva Jevtic of B92. “At this moment, I’m not thinking about a return to Europe. If it ever happens, Crvena Zvezda would be the main favorite, but many things would have to fall into place.” Crvena Zvezda is based in Belgrade, Serbia.
A number of NBA teams are in rebuilding mode and Grant Hughes of Bleacher Report ranks how each of them are faring. He sees the Spurs being ahead of the pack and not just because they have generational talent Victor Wembanyama. The Pistons come in at the No. 2 spot due to the amount of young talent on their roster, headed by Cade Cunningham.
In a comprehensive feature story, Kyle Tucker of The Athletic details the difficulties that Willie Cauley-Stein has endured in recent years. Cauley-Stein, who hasn’t appeared in an NBA game since the 2021/22, remains hopeful of getting another NBA contract.

Nikola Vucevic Talks Lonzo Ball, Changes In Chicago, Retirement

August 25th, 2024 at 1:53pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

Speaking at All-NBA point guard Goran Dragic‘s farewell game in Slovenia, Bulls center Nikola Vucevic reflected on the team’s disappointing results over the past three seasons. The 6’10” big man noted that everything changed after point guard Lonzo Ball suffered a left meniscus tear midway through the 2021/22 season, per Milun Nesovic of Meridian Sport (hat tip to BasketNews for the transcription).

Chicago went 22-13 during the 35 games Ball was healthy, and hovered around the top of the Eastern Conference. The club then fell to the No. 6 seed and was eliminated by the Bucks in a brisk 2022 first-round playoff series. Ball has undergone three knee surgeries, but has yet to return to the hardwood.

“Since Lonzo Ball’s injury, we haven’t been able to achieve the results we could have,” Vucevic said. “When he played, we were at the top of the East for a while, which maybe wasn’t a realistic result, even though we were playing well, but with him, we would have fought for anything between third and sixth place in the end.”

Chicago hasn’t had Ball available since January 2022. It’s probably not realistic to expect him to contribute at the same level he did, if he ever can come back.

The conversation is well worth reading in full. Here are some more highlights:

Vucevic also blamed constant trade chatter for distracting the team during its subsequent two seasons, when Chicago made very few transactions and ultimately missed the playoffs. “Trade talks also affected us, preventing us from achieving the results we thought we could, but when results don’t follow, changes come,” Vucevic said.
The team parted ways with two of its top players, six-time All-Star swingman DeMar DeRozan and All-Defensive guard Alex Caruso, this summer. DeRozan inked a lucrative three-year deal with the Kings via sign-and-trade, while Caruso was dealt to the Thunder for Josh Giddey. Vucevic is aware that the club is trying to pivot. “DeRozan left, Caruso left, the team got younger, and they wanted to go in a different direction,” Vucevic said. “We’ll see how the season goes, and then decisions will be made based on that.”
The 33-year-old center, who is owed $41.5MM over the next two seasons, also addressed his own future in the league. “I’m aware that I’ve been in the NBA for 13 years now, that the end is not that far off,” Vucevic acknowledged. “I don’t believe I’ll play another 13 years, but I have two more years with Chicago, and I’d like to play two more after that… I think I can play at a high level for that long, and then I’ll see.” A two-time All-Star while with the Magic, Vucevic has seen his shooting efficiency fall off somewhat in recent seasons. After connecting on 40% of 6.3 three-pointers per game in 2020/21, he has averaged 32% on 4.3 long range attempts across the ensuing three seasons. Though he averaged a respectable 18.0 points, 10.5 rebounds, and 3.3 assists in 76 games last season, Vucevic’s lack of athleticism has made him a major defensive liability, unable to switch in pick-and-roll situations and incapable of effectively protecting the rim. Offensively, the ball often sticks in his hands and disrupts the club’s scoring.

Stars To Participate In Farewell Game For Goran Dragic

August 17th, 2024 at 7:42pm CST by Arthur Hill

A farewell game will take place August 24 to honor Goran Dragic, who announced his retirement at the end of December, according to BasketNews.

Titled “The Night of the Dragon,” the game will be played at Stozice Arena in Ljubljana, Slovenia. Two teams will be drafted during a charity gala dinner the night before. The game is sponsored by the Goran Dragic Foundation, and tickets sold out within 20 minutes.

Among the current and former players scheduled to participate are Steve Nash, Luka Doncic, Nikola Jokic, Dirk Nowitzki, Bogdan Bogdanovic, Luis Scola, Dejan Bodiroga, Predrag Danilovic, Nikola Vucevic and Rasho Nesterovic. Chris Bosh, Dragic’s former teammate in Miami, will attend the event but won’t play.

BasketNews reports that Jimmy Butler was originally set to appear, but had to cancel due to a commitment in China.

Dragic, 38, appeared in 946 games with seven teams during his 15 NBA seasons. He was named Most Improved Player during the 2013/14 season and was selected to the All-Star Game in 2017/18.

He’s also a Slovenian basketball legend, leading the nation to its first EuroBasket title in 2017 while earning Most Valuable Player honors for the tournament.

Bulls Reportedly Still Trying To Trade LaVine, Vucevic

August 4th, 2024 at 11:29am CST by Rory Maher

Marc Stein reported a couple weeks ago that while Zach LaVine and Nikola Vucevic remain trade candidates, it appears increasingly likely that both players will open the 2024/25 season as Bulls.

Apparently it isn’t for lack of effort from the front office though. According to Joe Cowley of The Chicago Sun-Times, head of basketball operations Arturas Karnisovas continues to actively explore deals for the former All-Stars, but obviously the team hasn’t found anything suitable to this point.

LaVine is owed about $138MM over the next three seasons (including a $49MM player option for 2026/27), while Vucevic will earn $41MM through 2026. That salary differential is one reason why Vucevic is viewed as more likely to be moved than LaVine, though Stein wrote that a trade for the 33-year-old big man might not come together until after the season begins.

Cowley’s article is mostly focused on the Bulls’ rotation, which will be difficult for head coach Billy Donovan to manage if the roster remains intact. As Cowley writes, the backcourt, in particular, could be problematic, with Josh Giddey, LaVine and Coby White — three offense-first guards — seemingly likely to start, with Patrick Williams and Vucevic rounding out the first five.

Ayo Dosunmu, Dalen Terry, Jevon Carter, and perhaps even Lonzo Ball will be among the guards off the bench, Cowley notes, further illustrating the rotational dilemma Donovan could face this fall.

Stein’s Latest: LaVine, Vucevic, Nembhard, Morris, C. Jones, More

July 26th, 2024 at 2:47pm CST by Luke Adams

While Zach LaVine and Nikola Vucevic remain trade candidates, it appears increasingly likely that both players will open the 2024/25 season as Bulls, Marc Stein writes in his latest Substack story.

League sources tell Stein that the Bulls are “resigned” to the fact that they’re unlikely to find a deal they like for LaVine before opening night and may have to try to help him rebuild some trade value early in the season.

As for Vucevic, his contract (two years for about $41MM) should be easier to move than LaVine’s, but the expectation is that it will be easier for Chicago to find a deal sometime after the season begins than before that, Stein explains.

Here are a few more items from within Stein’s latest look around the NBA:

According to Stein’s sources, Pacers guard Andrew Nembhard was only willing to accept a three-year extension from Indiana rather than a four-year deal. The contract will put Nembhard in position to sign his next contract in 2028 when he’s 28 and presumably right in his prime.
The Mavericks remain committed to re-signing forward Markieff Morris, even after filling their 15-man roster by adding Spencer Dinwiddie, Stein reports. As Stein observes, A.J. Lawson is the most vulnerable of the 15 players on standard contracts, since his 2024/25 salary is non-guaranteed.
Former NBA guard Carlik Jones, a key member of the South Sudan Olympic team, is committed to playing for KK Partizan next season after not exercising his NBA out by the July 25 deadline, according to Stein, who notes that Donta Hall‘s new two-year contract with Baskonia has an NBA out after the 2024/25 season.
Evan Fournier and Patty Mills, who finished last season on NBA rosters but don’t have contracts for 2024/25, are among the notable free agents to watch at the Olympics, according to Stein. Stein is also curious about whether a strong showing from Nets guard Dennis Schröder in Paris could help boost his trade value as the German enters a contract year.

Bulls Notes: Phillips, LaVine, Vucevic, Buzelis

July 14th, 2024 at 3:59pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

With a path to playing time seemingly opened by the departures of two veteran wings, young Bulls forward Julian Phillips is hoping to get some extended run this season, writes K.C. Johnson of NBC Sports Chicago.

“Just my leadership and being around the ball,” Phillips said of his goals for his second Summer League with the Bulls this year. “Get loose balls, rebounds. Defense, get my hands on loose balls. Try to be all around.”

With ex-Bulls Alex Caruso and DeMar DeRozan having been sent to contending Western Conference squads, an opportunity could open up for Phillips to earn more rotation minutes this year. Phillips, for his part, seems grateful for the lessons learned from Caruso and DeRozan during his rookie season in 2023/24.

“They both helped and taught me a lot, so I appreciate them for everything,” Phillips said. “It’s not our job to worry about the roster decisions. That’s up to the front office. Our job is to be ready to play. We got a lot of great guys and we’ll be ready for it for sure.”

There’s more out of the Windy City:

The Bulls received poor marks for their trades of Caruso and DeRozan from Joe Cowley of The Chicago Sun-Times, who is underwhelmed by the return for Caruso and believes the team waited too long to move on from DeRozan. Cowley adds that two of the club’s other pricey veterans, shooting guard Zach LaVine and center Nikola Vucevic, may be stuck on a rebuilding Chicago team for a while, as neither seems to have garnered much trade interest around the league.
During his Summer League debut, a 96-89 win against the Milwaukee Bucks on Saturday, Bulls lottery pick Matas Buzelis scored 15 points, grabbed seven boards and blocked two shots. He showed a knack for drawing contact in taking seven free throws during 29 minutes of action, and proved adept at defending the rack. Buzelis, however, was concerned by his 4-of-15 shooting line and some defensive decisions away from the rim, notes K.C. Johnson in another NBC Sports Chicago story. “Honestly, I was very sloppy,” Buzelis said. “I can play a lot better.”
In case you missed it, Chicago recently waived two-way power forward RaiQuan Gray, acquired in the team’s three-team sign-and-trade deal that sent DeRozan to Sacramento.

Scotto’s Latest: Markkanen, Achiuwa, Knicks, Kessler, Vucevic, Sixers

July 2nd, 2024 at 3:57pm CST by Luke Adams

The expectation around the NBA, according to Michael Scotto of HoopsHype, is that the Jazz will only seriously consider trading Lauri Markkanen if they receive a huge offer similar in value to the one Brooklyn got for Mikal Bridges, which included four unprotected first-round picks, an unprotected first-round swap, and one more lightly protected first-rounder.

The decision on Markkanen is viewed as an inflection point for the Jazz, who could accelerate their timeline by trying to find another star to join him in Utah or extend their timeline by moving the star forward and continuing to stockpile assets ahead of a loaded 2025 draft.

In addition to confirming the four teams previously reported to have interest in Markkanen (the Warriors, Spurs, Kings, and Timberwolves), Scotto adds the Pelicans to the list of potential suitors for the star forward. However, he says New Orleans has been reluctant to discuss valuable young role players like Trey Murphy and Herbert Jones.

Brandon Ingram, the most obvious trade candidate on the Pelicans’ roster, wouldn’t be a logical target for Utah in a Markkanen trade. New Orleans is including a pair of first-round picks in its deal for Dejounte Murray but could still offer as many as four first-rounders (2025, 2027, 2029, and 2031) in a package for a player like Markkanen.

Here’s more from Scotto:

Unrestricted free agent Precious Achiuwa – who is drawing interest from multiple contenders, per Ian Begley of SNY.tv – liked playing in New York and remains open to re-signing with the Knicks, Scotto writes. The Knicks’ search for help at center has also involved making trade calls to the Jazz about Walker Kessler and the Hornets about Nick Richards, according to Scotto, who says rival executives think the Jazz are more willing to listen to inquiries on Kessler than they would’ve been a year ago.
With DeMar DeRozan seemingly on the verge of leaving Chicago, there’s a belief around the league that the Bulls may look to trade Nikola Vucevic and make the roster even younger, league sources tell Scotto.
Providing several Sixers-related updates, Scotto says Philadelphia is expected to either trade or waive Paul Reed and his $7.7MM non-guaranteed contract, has exploratory trade interest in Nets forward Dorian Finney-Smith, and wants to add more shooting and guard depth, with Lester Quinones and Kyle Lowry among the players on its radar. Additionally, second-round pick Adem Bona is expected to get a standard contract and a place on the 76ers’ 15-man roster, Scotto reports.

And-Ones: Wade, Howard, Vucevic, Pre-Draft

May 30th, 2024 at 4:21pm CST by Rory Maher

Hall of Famer Dwyane Wade has been hired by NBC to work as a game analyst covering men’s basketball for the 2024 Olympics in Paris, reports Barry Jackson of The Miami Herald (Twitter link). Wade will work alongside play-by-play commentator Noah Eagle, Jackson adds.

Wade, who is a minority stakeholder of the Jazz, has worked as an analyst for TNT. The Heat announced in January that they would build a statue outside the team’s arena in honor of Wade.

Here’s more from around the basketball world:

Eight-time NBA All-Star and three-time Defensive Player of the Year Dwight Howard is continuing his playing career overseas. The 38-year-old has signed with the Taiwan Mustangs for The Asian Tournament, the team announced (via Instagram). Howard, who last played in the NBA in 2021/22, signed with a team in Puerto Rico in March. Howard previously spent the ’22/23 season in Taiwan. He was accused of sexual assault and battery in a lawsuit filed last July; that civil suit is ongoing, with a Georgia judge denying a motion to dismiss it in February.
Bulls center Nikola Vucevic headlines the 17-man preliminary roster for Montenegro ahead of the country’s Olympic qualifying tournament this summer, writes Johnny Askounis of Eurohoops. Former Bull Marko Simonovic is also on the list — he spent last season playing in Serbia and Turkey.
Players who were invited to the draft combine but were unable to participate will instead be required to take part in pre-draft activities in Treviso, Italy from June 4-7, the NBA announced (Twitter link). The players had excused absences, as they were still playing for teams overseas. The list of players participating in Italy will be announced next week, per the league.