The Bulls revamped their roster over the offseason, but Nikola Vučević will still be a focal point of the Chicago’s new high-octane offense, writes Darnell Mayberry of The Athletic.
Vučević had a game-high 18 field goal attempts in the Bulls’ blowout preseason victory (121-85) over the Pelicans Friday night. New teammates Lonzo Ball, Alex Caruso, and DeMar DeRozan are all finding the All-Star center in good positions to score.
“With all the guys I have around me now,” Vučević said, “I have so many opportunities to score: trail 3s, drive-and-kick, off pick-and-pops, on rolls and dump-offs. We have so many guys who are good on the ball and that are willing passers, as a big man, it’s a luxury to have. We just have to get used to each other and build that chemistry, and I think it’ll be great for everybody.”
On a team with three 20-plus points per game scorers (Vučević, Zach LaVine and Derozan averaged a combined 72.4 PPG last season), Vučević knows he might not be the primary option every night, and he’s perfectly fine with that, per Mayberry.
“It will come easier to me because we have so much talent out there that it’s harder for defenses to take stuff away. When we do a two-man game, any type of actions, it’s going to open up a lot for everybody. For me, the same. I think it will be easier to get touches in better spots,” Vucevic said.
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