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Bulls GM Says Keeping Nikola Vucevic Was “No. 1 Goal”

August 19th, 2023 at 11:02pm CST by Arthur Hill

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.”

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Bulls Sign Nikola Vucevic To Three-Year Extension

June 28th, 2023 at 3:12pm CST by Luke Adams

3:12pm: The Bulls have issued a press release officially announcing Vucevic’s extension.

“During his time in Chicago, Nikola has proven that he is a special player both on and off the court,” executive VP of basketball operations Arturas Karnisovas said in a statement. “He has produced at an elite level since we acquired him and will remain an integral part of our foundation moving forward. Nikola’s willingness to do whatever is asked of him to help us win, while also being an established veteran leader for our group, makes him a valuable component of the culture of our organization. He is a consummate professional and tremendous teammate, which plays a big role in making us an attractive destination for other players. We are excited to have him continue to be part of our journey.”

2:42pm: The Bulls and Nikola Vucevic are nearing an agreement on a three-year, $60MM contract extension that would keep the veteran center off the free agent market, reports Shams Charania of The Athletic (Twitter link).

Vucevic, 32, was acquired by the Bulls at the 2021 trade deadline in a deal with Orlando. Since arriving in Chicago, he has averaged 18.2 points, 11.1 rebounds, and 3.3 assists per game with a .492/.342/.812 shooting line in 181 total regular season appearances (33.2 MPG).

Vucevic isn’t an elite defender, but he’s a talented scorer and rebounder who has been remarkably consistent during his first two full seasons with the Bulls — he averaged 17.6 PPG, 11.0 RPG, and 3.2 APG in both 2021/22 and ’22/23.

Like fellow big man Naz Reid, Vucevic had been extension-eligible this season, so he didn’t have to wait to reach the open market this weekend if his goal was to re-up with his current team.

The Bulls were considered a good bet to reach a new deal with Vucevic before or during free agency for multiple reasons. For one, their guaranteed contracts and the cap holds for restricted free agents Coby White and Ayo Dosunmu would almost certainly make them an over-the-cap team with or without Vucevic on the books, so they wouldn’t have had a clear path to replace him at the same salary slot if they’d let him walk.

There has also been a sense, as Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports wrote today, that Chicago didn’t love the idea of letting Vucevic go after paying such a steep price to acquire him from the Magic two years ago. That trade netted Orlando a pair of lottery picks – Franz Wagner and Jett Howard – in addition to young center Wendell Carter.

Assuming they officially finalize an extension with Vucevic by the June 30 deadline, the Bulls can shift their focus to free agency, where they’re expected to re-sign guards White and Dosunmu, according to Fischer. A new deal for unrestricted free agent Patrick Beverley is also a possibility, Fischer adds.

The Bulls project to be about $27MM below the luxury tax line after signing Vucevic, tweets ESPN’s Bobby Marks, though that estimate could vary depending on the exact structure of Vucevic’s extension, as well as Andre Drummond‘s player option decision. Once he officially signs, Vucevic will become ineligible to be traded for six months.

Meanwhile, an already-thin group of free agent centers will take another hit with both Vucevic and Reid off the market. Jakob Poeltl and Brook Lopez are the headliners at the position, with veterans like Mason Plumlee and Dwight Powell among the solid second-tier targets for teams in need of size. However, there aren’t a lot of reliable veterans available beyond those top few guys.

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Trade Rumors: Wizards, Morris, George, Bridges, Nets, Bulls

June 22nd, 2023 at 1:33pm CST by Luke Adams

Having agreed to acquire point guards Tyus Jones and Chris Paul in separate trades, the Wizards have begun talking to rival teams about Monte Morris, league sources tell Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports. According to Fischer, Washington’s front office – which has already been very active this offseason – is telling potential trade partners that the team doesn’t want to take on any long-term money.

It remains to be seen what the Wizards have in mind for Paul. Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN (YouTube link) said during a TV appearance earlier this week that he doesn’t get the sense that Washington is trying to “bottom out” by going into full tank mode, suggesting he can envision a scenario where Paul is on next season’s roster. However, that was before the team agreed to acquire Jones.

According to Fischer, the Wizards and Suns are tentatively planning for the Bradley Beal trade call to take place on Friday. It’s unclear whether Paul will be flipped to a new team as part of that deal or whether Washington’s three-team trade with Boston and Memphis might be folded into the same transaction.

Here are a few more trade rumors from around the NBA:

  • Andrew Greif and Broderick Turner of The Los Angeles Times provide a little more context on the recent Paul George trade rumors, suggesting that the Knicks initiated talks with the Clippers but are hesitant to pursue the star forward, who may seek an extension when he becomes eligible this offseason. There’s a sense that George’s value might not be as high as the Clippers would like, given his injury history and his contract situation, per The Times’ duo. A previous report indicated he’s unlikely to be dealt.
  • Rising star Mikal Bridges tells Brian Lewis of The New York Post that he has been informed by the Nets that they have no interest in trading him. The team has conveyed that stance both publicly and privately, according to Lewis. “As of right now they’re saying they’re not, but I think just being a good person kind of helps with that, because there’s just like you don’t want to lose a person like that, which is always a good quality to have,” Bridges said. “So, [I feel] just blessed, man; just blessed and very appreciative for that. And that just does show that love, honestly.”
  • In addition to offering four first-round picks for Bridges at the trade deadline, the Grizzlies are also said to have targeted Magic forward Franz Wagner in recent months, Fischer reports. Fischer refers to the team’s decision to surrender a pair of first-rounders for Marcus Smart as a “middle-ground” move after those more ambitious pursuits didn’t pan out.
  • While it doesn’t sound like Bridges will be going anywhere this offseason, the futures of fellow Nets forwards Dorian Finney-Smith and Royce O’Neale remain uncertain. According to Fischer, Brooklyn is seeking a first-round pick in return for O’Neale and wants a pick and a player for Finney-Smith.
  • It may end up being a quiet draft night for the Bulls, who don’t currently have a pick, but they’re still exploring ways to acquire a first-rounder, reports Joe Cowley of The Chicago Sun-Times. In other Bulls news, Cowley hears from sources that free-agent-to-be Nikola Vucevic may be willing to give Chicago a “hometown discount” on a new multiyear contract. The big man made $22MM this past season.
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And-Ones: CBA Changes, Free Agents, Las Vegas, Holland

June 21st, 2023 at 9:06pm CST by Luke Adams

Players signed using the newly created cap exception for second-round picks that will be included in the NBA’s Collective Bargaining Agreement won’t count against the cap until July 31, Keith Smith of Spotrac reports (Twitter links).

In the past, teams looking to maximize their cap room have sometimes put off signing their second-round picks, since those players don’t have a cap hold until they sign. However, as Smith explains, the new rule will allow those players to sign immediately without affecting a team’s cap space for the first month of free agency. That will allow them to fully participate with their new teams in Summer League play.

According to Smith, the second-round pick exception will allow teams to sign players to three- or four-year contracts with team options in the final season. It will also give second-round draftees the opportunity to earn more than the rookie minimum in the first season (for three-year deals) or in the first two seasons (for four-year deals).

Here are more odds and ends from around the basketball world:

  • Yossi Gozlan of HoopsHype has another minor update on the new CBA, tweeting that the extend-and-trade restrictions will be loosened beginning in 2024 to allow for an extra year and a higher salary. Currently, an extension-eligible player who is traded must wait six months to sign a new deal that places him under contract for more than three total seasons (including his current deal) or features more than a 5% raise.
  • John Hollinger of The Athletic shared his top free agent point guards, shooting guards, small forwards, power forwards, and centers based on his BORD$ formula. Among Hollinger’s most interesting rankings? Nikola Vucevic at sixth among centers, one spot behind Dwight Powell; and Rui Hachimura at 14th among power forwards, behind players like Trey Lyles and Oshae Brissett.
  • Sports and entertainment venue developer Tim Leiweke, the CEO of Oak View Group, spoke last week about his plans to build a 20,000 seat, NBA-ready arena as part of a massive Las Vegas development project that has a $10 billion budget and will be entirely privately financed. Howard Stutz of The Nevada Independent has the story, including the quotes from Leiweke.
  • Five-star recruit Ron Holland has officially signed with the G League Ignite, according to a press release from the team. We first covered Holland’s commitment to the Ignite last month.
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Scotto’s Latest: VanVleet, Anunoby, Middleton, DiVincenzo, G. Williams

June 18th, 2023 at 11:01am CST by Arthur Hill

New head coach Ime Udoka’s desire to land a veteran point guard makes the Rockets a strong contender for Fred VanVleet in free agency, sources tell Michael Scotto of HoopsHype. Houston will be part of a large group of teams expected to pursue VanVleet, who remains open to re-signing with the Raptors, Scotto adds.

The Suns expressed interest in VanVleet the last time he was a free agent, Scotto notes. Chris Paul appears to be on the way out of Phoenix, as Scotto’s sources say the team has discussed a number of trade scenarios, including a proposed deal reported Saturday that would send him to Washington as part of a package for Bradley Beal.

The Lakers would also like to add VanVleet, according to Scotto, but would probably need to work out a sign-and-trade with the Raptors to make it happen. That would require Toronto to have interest in D’Angelo Russell, who is also a free agent.

VanVleet has also been linked to the Magic because president of basketball operations Jeff Weltman previously worked in Toronto, but Scotto cites skepticism that Orlando is ready to make a big free agent move while the core of the team is still young.

Scotto passes along more inside information:

  • The Grizzlies are a team to watch if the Raptors decide to part with OG Anunoby, Scotto states. Memphis is offering future first-round draft picks to add a wing player, according to Scotto’s sources, and Anunoby would be an attractive target if he becomes available. Scotto notes that the Grizzlies were willing to give four first-round picks to Brooklyn in February for Mikal Bridges, and the need for wing help has increased with Dillon Brooks not expected back next season.
  • League executives tell Scotto that they expect Khris Middleton to re-sign with the Bucks for about $130MM over four years if he turns down his $40.4MM player option. Milwaukee is hoping to re-sign Brook Lopez as well, Scotto adds, but the veteran center will likely get an offer from the Rockets.
  • Donte DiVincenzo is expected to turn down his $4.7MM player option and receive better offers than the Warriors can match. One executive told Scotto that DiVincenzo is likely to be offered the non-taxpayer mid-level exception, which is well above the four-year, $23.2MM deal that Golden State can give him due to cap restrictions. Scotto hears that the Warriors have also received interest in Jonathan Kuminga from several teams that believe he can be more successful with an increased role.
  • The Mavericks have expressed interest in Celtics free agent forward Grant Williams, who has the same agent as Luka Doncic, sources tell Scotto. Dallas has also considered bringing back former Maverick Harrison Barnes, Scotto adds.
  • League executives expect the Bulls to re-sign center Nikola Vucevic, likely for about $65MM over three years, according to Scotto.
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Central Notes: LeVert, Mitchell, Pacers’ Workouts, Vucevic

June 4th, 2023 at 9:55pm CST by Dana Gauruder

A short-term contract might work for both the Cavaliers and one of their free agents, Caris LeVert, Chris Fedor of the Cleveland Plain Dealer opines. LeVert settled into the role of sixth man as the season went along and he wants to re-sign.

Cleveland won’t find a better player with its $12.2MM mid-level exception, according to Fedor, so it makes sense for the Cavs to bring back LeVert and then use the exception to add another rotation piece.

We have more from the Central Division:

  • Donovan Mitchell recently expressed on social media his frustration at not being All-NBA First Team. In an “Sideline Stroll w/Ros” interview (video link), Mitchell spoke about the perceived snub in greater detail. “I just felt I should have been First Team,” he said. “So that’s one of my goals next year, is to be First Team. And I felt like I was good enough. But obviously the media members did not.” Mitchell did make the Second Team.
  • The Pacers will host six draft prospects on Monday, including Indiana University star forward Trayce Jackson-Davis, according ot a team press release. Emmanuel Akot (Western Kentucky), Tyree Appleby (Wake Forest), Chris Livingston (Kentucky), Terquavion Smith (NC State) and Azuolas Tubelis (Arizona) will join him at the Pacers’ practice facility.
  • The Bulls are looking to lock up Nikola Vucevic for the next three seasons, according to Joe Cowley of the Chicago Sun-Times. A report that an extension was being discussed with the center, who will otherwise be a free agent next month, surfaced on Wednesday. The Bulls are apparently not looking to take “big swings” this summer and Cowley disagrees with that strategy for a franchise wallowing in mediocrity.
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Bulls, Nikola Vucevic Discussing Extension

May 31st, 2023 at 11:26am CST by Luke Adams

The Bulls have opened up contract extension negotiations with center Nikola Vucevic, according to Shams Charania of The Athletic, who reports that the two sides have mutual interest in working out a new deal.

Vucevic is headed for unrestricted free agency in a month, but remains eligible to sign an extension with the Bulls between now and June 30, before he officially reaches the open market.

Certain extension-eligible players who are on track for free agency, such as Jerami Grant and Fred VanVleet, are unlikely to reach deals with their respective teams by June 30 because the current limits on veteran extensions – including a starting salary worth up to 120% of the player’s previous salary – don’t allow for the sort of contracts they may receive in free agency.

That’s probably not the case for Vucevic though. If he were to sign a veteran extension, he could receive a starting salary worth up to $26.4MM on a deal that covers as many as four years. The 32-year-old seems unlikely to exceed either of those figures in free agency, so it makes sense that he and the Bulls will see if they can come to terms in the coming weeks.

A two-time All-Star, Vucevic has seen his production dip a little since being traded from Orlando to Chicago in 2021, but put up solid numbers in 2022/23. Starting all 82 games for the Bulls, he registered 17.6 points, 11.0 rebounds, and 3.2 assists per contest, matching his exact averages from ’21/22. He scored more efficiently this past season than he did a year ago, bumping his shooting line to .520/.349/.835.

It would be difficult for the Bulls to open up meaningful cap room to replace Vucevic in free agency if he were to leave outright, so it’s no surprise that the team is exploring whether it will be possible to retain the big man at a reasonable price. If the two sides don’t reach an agreement by June 30, Vucevic will be one of the top available centers on the free agent market.

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Central Notes: Bucks, Cavaliers, Brooks, Vucevic

May 6th, 2023 at 4:00pm CST by Luke Adams

Since the Bucks dismissed Mike Budenholzer on Thursday, we haven’t heard much about which head coaching candidates the team may be eyeing to replace him. Appearing on ESPN’s NBA Countdown on Friday (YouTube video link), Adrian Wojnarowski said he thinks Milwaukee can afford to be patient and perhaps wait for more teams to be eliminated from the playoffs in case a veteran coach employed by one of those clubs becomes available.

“Is there a coach or two who either becomes free with the team they’re at or there’s a conversation to be had with a team about a potential coach?” Wojnarowski said. “Because this is a Bucks team with Giannis Antetokounmpo, it’s an incredibly attractive job.”

It’s unclear which coaches Wojnarowski might be referring to. There was some speculation entering the postseason that Nuggets coach Michael Malone could be on the hot seat if Denver exited the playoffs quickly, but Malone’s club has looked pretty good so far.

Here’s more from around the Central:

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Bulls Notes: Offseason, Vucevic, White, Ball, LaVine, DeRozan, Beverley

April 15th, 2023 at 6:26pm CST by Arthur Hill

The Bulls have no plans to rebuild after a disappointing 40-42 season and an exit in the play-in tournament, vice president Arturas Karnisovas told reporters, including Jamal Collier of ESPN, at an end-of-season press conference Saturday. Karnisovas said management will use the offseason to search for ways to build on the team’s 14-9 performance after the All-Star break.

“That’s been thrown around all this season,” he said. “Blow up, rebuild. It’s not on our minds. We changed our minds in the 2021 season to focus on winning, and try to build a sustainable program here — I think that’s where we’re focused right now. How we can help this group and how we can improve from this year.”

Karnisovas indicated that the Bulls will focus on trying to re-sign as many of their free agents as possible. He mentioned starting center Nikola Vucevic, who will be unrestricted this summer, and said the team “absolutely” wants to keep reserve guard Coby White, who can be made a restricted free agent with a $7.7MM qualifying offer.

Vucevic also spoke with reporters, saying he has enjoyed his two and a half seasons in Chicago.

“The Bulls will have priority,” Vucevic said of his free agency plans. “I’d like to stay here. But that’s on the front office to decide and work with my agent.”

There’s more from Chicago:

  • Karnisovas wasn’t able to offer an update on Lonzo Ball, who underwent his third knee surgery last month, Collier adds. Karnisovas declined to comment when he was asked if the Bulls plan to seek salary relief from the league for the $43MM remaining on Ball’s contract. “I have confidence that he’s going to come back,” he said. “In terms of timeline, I don’t have that timeline right now because he just had his procedure.” The team could only be approved for salary relief if Ball’s health issues are considered likely to be career-ending.
  • Zach LaVine and DeMar DeRozan believe they can become an even better combination with a healthy start to next season, per K.C. Johnson of NBC Sports Chicago. DeRozan points out that injuries have been been disruptive throughout their two seasons together. “We haven’t even scratched the surface,” he said. “Last year, with him being hurt and me carrying so much of the load and this year him coming off his surgery, I know early on in the season he was frustrated just trying to find his rhythm. I kept being in his ear telling him, ‘It’s gonna come. You got to get your rhythm back. You haven’t played. You haven’t touched a ball.’ By the time he got healthy and got it rolling, I began to deal with my quad. So we haven’t been fully ourself and that’s the scary part about it.”
  • Chicago has a decision to make on Patrick Beverley, who took over as the starting point guard after signing in February. Yossi Gozlan of HoopsHype points out that the Bulls can offer Beverley a $3.2MM veteran’s minimum salary or $3.8MM with his Non-Bird rights. They would have to use part of their mid-level exception to exceed that figure, but Gozlan states that they may want to save the MLE to add another big man off the bench.
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Central Notes: Vucevic, Cunningham, Pistons, Bickerstaff

April 13th, 2023 at 10:02am CST by Arthur Hill

Nikola Vucevic said the Bulls didn’t try to move him at this year’s trade deadline even though he has an expiring contract, writes Joe Cowley of The Chicago Sun-Times. Whether or not that means Vucevic’s long-term future is in Chicago will be determined in free agency this summer.

Vucevic, who has stated several times that he hopes to remain with the Bulls, acknowledges that the organization paid a hefty price to acquire him from the Magic in 2021. He has gotten past the feeling that he needs to prove himself, allowing him to take a calmer approach this season and find a comfortable fit with his current team.

“Last year, I was just trying to make everything happen so quickly,’’ Vucevic said. “I wanted to be able to be the best version of myself right away, and when that didn’t happen, I started forcing things, overthinking things. I wasn’t letting my natural instincts come into play, and it took me some time to figure it out. It took me time to find my place with my new teammates, new system.

“Not everyone realizes that as a big man, it takes more time. You don’t have the ball in your hand. I feel like late last season and into the playoffs, I found my place and how I can be my best. I came into this year feeling much more comfortable with my teammates. Plus, the new offense helped me, as well. I’m not overthinking, not second-guessing myself. I feel like I’m a better version of myself than I was.’’

There’s more from the Central Division:

  • Pistons general manager Troy Weaver is expecting a huge comeback from Cade Cunningham, per James L. Edwards of The Athletic. After a promising rookie year, Cunningham was only able to play 12 games this season before opting for shin surgery. “I think (next) year he’ll probably really turn his career,” Weaver said. “He’s learned process. He is such a great competitor and mental giant, but the young players that learn process, that’s how you step into your greatness. He understands process now after having to go through this injury.”
  • The Pistons‘ 17-55 record was disappointing, but the team added two long-term foundation pieces in Jaden Ivey and Jalen Duren, Edwards adds in a separate story. Given a chance to play regular minutes, both lottery picks showed they could contribute right away. “Jaden and Jalen … I’ve seen a huge improvement in them as far as their comfort level and poise,” Cunningham said. “They continued to get better throughout the year. I’m definitely excited about them.”
  • After an NBA odyssey that dates back to his childhood, J.B. Bickerstaff arrived in Cleveland, where he has turned out to be the perfect coach for a young Cavaliers team, states Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com.
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