Apr 6, 2025; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; Chicago Bulls center Nikola Vucevic (9) and Charlotte Hornets forward Miles Bridges (0) fight for a rebound during the second half at Spectrum Center. Mandatory Credit: Nell Redmond-Imagn Images Nell Redmond-Imagn Images

Nikola Vucevic mock trade: Hornets kill two birds with one stone in Bulls swap

Originally posted on Charlotte Hornets on SI
By Zach Roberts | Last updated Jul 18, 2025 8:55 AM ET

The Charlotte Hornets suddenly have a problem: they have way too many guards and not enough centers. As it is, they have too many players on the roster, so they need to move off of a couple just to get their roster size under control. After waiving Josh Okogie, the best way to do that is with trades.

Typically, though, trades involve taking players back to match salary. Fortunately, there's one out there that cuts down the roster size and fills a need. Chicago Bulls center Nikola Vucevic is probably available given that he's 35, on an expiring contract, and the Bulls are going nowhere presently.

They should want to move on from him and get some assets, which the Hornets can happily provide. They can package Nick Smith Jr., Josh Green, and two second-round picks (2028 and 2031 via Denver) to make a trade that works for everyone.

Charlotte gets a center that can actually provide offense and spacing. Right now, none of Ryan Kalkbrenner (who might be better suited in the G-League right away), Moussa Diabate, or Mason Plumlee are adding any offensive threat, leaving opponents to play almost five-on-four.

The spacing Vucevic brings would be a monumental help, and it would finally provide LaMelo Ball with ample shooting around him. He's also on an expiring contract, so there's no long-term risk in bringing him aboard. Plus, if things don't work out, he is a perfect trade candidate at the deadline so that Charlotte could recoup some assets.

For Chicago, they move on from a player who is undeniably walking at the end of the season anyway, so getting two second-round picks for him is good, plus two useful players as well. Green will help them raise their defensive floor, an issue that plagued them in 2024-25 at times. Smith Jr. is a young player who could benefit from a change of scenery, so Chicago is just taking a flier on a former first-round pick who happens to be pretty cheap.

All in all, the Bulls get into a much better situation for the future, and the Hornets get a massive upgrade for one season at a huge position of need, all without depleting their resource stockpile too greatly.