After finishing the 2024-25 season with career highs in three-point shooting and field goal percentage, Nikola Vucevic is entering his sixth and final season under contract with the Chicago Bulls. A report from Joe Cowley of the Chicago Sun-Times indicates that the Bulls are open to trading Vucevic before he hits the open market. With his reliable durability and recent development in his three-point shooting, Vucevic should command some value on the trade block if the Bulls are to shop him around the league. Here are three teams that would make sense as potential trade suitors for the Bulls if they decide to move Vucevic this summer.
If the Warriors want to build one more championship core around Stephen Curry, the Warriors could target Vucevic to bolster their frontcourt. The Warriors reportedly made a run at Vucevic this past trade deadline, so it seems likely they would reconsider the trade if they exit early from the playoffs.
Vucevic would instantly improve the Warriors’ offense. Golden State ranked bottom five in paint scoring this season, averaging a mere 44.5 points per game. Vucevic’s passing and improved three-point shooting fit the Warriors’ offense perfectly. As a system that is built on fast-paced ball movement, Vucevic provides the Warriors with the ideal floor spacing they have excelled with in the past.
While replacing Kevon Looney with Vucevic would hurt the Warriors’ defense a bit, pairing Vucevic with Draymond Green in lineups would be able to reduce the deficiency. As long as the Warriors can add an additional defensive center to the rotation, Vucevic’s offensive upside is worth the risk.
After the Lakers traded Anthony Davis for Luka Doncic in February, a void was left in the Lakers’ frontcourt. The front office failed to trade for Mark Williams at the deadline after he failed his physical. Acquiring Vucevic would be a solid consolation prize. Vucevic offers elite post efficiency, which allows LeBron James and Luka to stay outside and dish it to Vucevic in the paint. Vucevic excels off screens and can be lethal from mid-range with Luka running a pick-and-roll offense.
Averaging 10.7 rebounds per game during his time in Chicago, Vucevic also offers an elite rebounding ability that the team has lacked since trading away AD. Vucevic would instantly become the team’s best rebounding option. Lastly, his improved three-point shooting allows him to be a reliable third scoring option for the Lakers and gives them a new “Big Three.” Adding Vucevic puts the Lakers in the best position possible to give LeBron one last chance at a ring.
I previously wrote about how a Cowley proposed trade for Zion Williamson was too steep a price to pay earlier this week. However, if the Bulls can negotiate the asking price down, Zion’s superstar upside is worth taking a gamble on if the price is right. If the Bulls add a starting center to replace Zach Collins, Zion can thrive in the paint at his natural power forward position. Zion’s durability is a serious issue for a five-year, $197 million contract. But, as someone whose best statistical averages were 27/7/3, Zion is an All-NBA level player when healthy. It would be worth the gamble for the Bulls to start their new era.
Admittedly, Vucevic as a trade piece does not make the most sense for a rebuilding Pelicans team. However, if the Pelicans want to part ways with Zion, adding Vucevic makes him an ideal trade/buyout candidate down the line. He would also provide a much-needed healthy presence in the frontcourt if they were to keep him. Zion has played more than 30 games twice in six seasons. Vucevic’s durability for a 34-year-old is impressive and a major contrast. Vucevic never played fewer than 73 games in his five years as a Bull. If the Pelicans can build up their young core, Vucevic could anchor the team as a veteran presence.
These three teams offer the Bulls the most likely chance to shed Vucevic’s contract while continuing to get younger. If the Bulls front office can pull off any of these three proposals, myself and other Bulls fans should be fairly happy with these deals on paper. With a long offseason ahead, it will be crucial for the front office to assess and try to gain value for Vucevic before his contract expires next offseason.
More must-reads:
Get the latest news and rumors, customized to your favorite sports and teams. Emailed daily. Always free!
The Boston Celtics had some veterans on their Summer League roster. That includes some players who were on last year's team, including Jordan Walsh and Baylor Scheierman. That also includes NBA veterans which include Kenneth Lofton Jr., Isaiah Wong, and Charles Bassey. Bassey made himself stand out in the Celtics Summer League. In three games with the team, he averaged 15.3 points, 11 rebounds, and two blocks a game while shooting 70.4% from the field. Despite his standout performance, a Celtics executive told Spotrac's Keith Smith that they weren't sure if the Celtics would be able to sign him. "Considering he got added to our team so late, this was an awesome run for him," the executive told Smith. "No idea if we’ll have roster space for him or not. But we’d love to keep working with Charles and see if we can make something work." Despite the Celtics having interest in keeping Bassey with the team, it appears any potential deal has fallen through. European Basketball Insider Luca D'Allesandro reported that Bassey's agent, Marc McNeil, has revealed the center is in touch with an overseas team and seemingly preparing for an NBA departure. "Charles Bassey’s agent, Marc McNeil, revealed in a statement for (Meridian Sport Srbija) that his client is in negotiations with Partizan and that the black-and-whites are his top priority," D'Alesandro wrote. "He also mentioned that there is interest from other Euroleague teams." Bassey has played for the Philadelphia 76ers and San Antonio Spurs from 2021 to 2025. In his last season with the Spurs, he averaged 4.4 points, 4.2 rebounds, and 0.8 blocks while shooting 58.1% from the field.
There may be more to Christian Wilkins’ recent surprise release from the Las Vegas Raiders. NFL reporter Josina Anderson reported Saturday that "some sources believe an incident involving a teammate may have factored in-part into the Raiders' fatigue and release" of Wilkins. The nature of the incident is not clear. However, many believe the Raiders had a very good reason to move on from Wilkins considering the money they had invested in him. It also suggests the Raiders saw no alternative if they went straight to a release. Wilkins was dumped by the Raiders just one year into a four-year, $110 million deal. The Raiders suggested Wilkins failed to take rehab seriously as he tries to work his way back from a foot injury. Other teams do not appear to have the same concerns about Wilkins as the Raiders did, and he should find a new landing spot fairly easily. That is one of the reasons some suspect there is more to the Raiders’ decision than they are publicly saying.
New York Yankees star Aaron Judge missed Saturday's game against the Philadelphia Phillies with an elbow injury, and the slugger is now headed to the injured list. The Yankees fell 9-4 to the Phillies on Saturday at Yankee Stadium in the Bronx, N.Y., which marked their third consecutive loss. Judge played in Friday night's 12-5 loss to Philadelphia, but Aaron Boone announced before Saturday's game that Judge was dealing with an "elbow issue" and would sit out. Following his team's latest loss, Boone shared some new information about Judge's injury. Judge has been diagnosed with a flexor strain, but the Yankees believe he can return in less than two weeks. When Judge returns to the lineup, Boone said it will initially be as a designated hitter. Judge is having an outstanding season. He entered Saturday batting .342, which is the best mark in baseball. The reigning American League MVP has 37 home runs, 85 RBI and a 1.160 OPS. The Yankees are now six games behind the AL East-leading Toronto Blue Jays and fighting to remain atop the wild-card race. It goes without saying that they are hopeful Judge will be able to return as soon as possible.
Dallas Cowboys fans appear to have one thing on their mind during training camp, and they made sure to let team owner Jerry Jones know about it on Saturday. Hundreds of Cowboys fans showed up to the team's annual "Opening Day Ceremony" on Saturday in Oxnard, California. Jones addressed the crowd, and the 82-year-old was greeted with a lot of restless supporters when he took the microphone. As Jones began talking about how disappointed he was with his team's 7-10 season last year, many fans shouted the same two-word message: "Pay Micah!" The fans eventually settled enough for Jones to urge them to take note of all the changes the Cowboys have made this offseason. "I was shocked last year when we ended up with the record that we had. I never saw that coming. I want you to know, and I want you to look for as you watch practices this week, I want you to watch what we've done in the areas that we needed to work on," Jones said. "Look at what we've done in this offensive line. Look at what we've done, if you will, with our receiver cops. Look at what we're doing with our defense. A lot of changes out here -- a lot of coaching changes, a lot of player changes." Parsons is set to make $24M in the final year of his rookie contract this season. He is undoubtedly seeking to become the highest-paid defensive player in football, which would mean topping the $41M per year T.J. Watt recently got with his new deal from the Pittsburgh Steelers. Parsons had 12 or more sacks in each of his first four NFL seasons. Jones has hinted that he is playing hardball with the star linebacker in contract negotiations, and Cowboys fans do not seem to appreciate it.