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Rumor: Nikola Vučević Will Begin Next NBA Season On Bulls

Originally posted on Hoops Wire | By Ashish Mathur | Last updated Jul 31, 2025 2:48 PM ET

NBA veteran Nikola Vučević will begin next season on the Chicago Bulls, according to K.C. Johnson of Chicago Sports Network.

The Bulls will not buy out Vučević, who will make $21.4 million next season in the final year of his contract.

“It was speculated that the Bulls could potentially be buying him out. And then that got aggregated that they’re going to be buying him out imminently. And that is not happening,” Johnson said. “I can tell you unequivocally that is not happening. Not only is Nikola Vučević coming off his best season as a Bull, but look, the Bulls would love to eventually turn his contract into some assets back.

“And I do think he will have trade value as we get closer to the February 2026 trade deadline. It was well-documented that the Bulls shopped him at the February 2025 trade deadline. They could not find common ground with any team. They had most substantive talks with the Warriors surrounding Nikola Vučević. I’ve been told that interest has cooled for the most part. So stay tuned on Vuc, but he will be back with the Bulls in training camp.”

Vučević appeared in 73 games for the Bulls last season. He averaged 18.5 points, 10.1 rebounds and 3.5 assists while shooting 53.0% from the field, 40.2% from beyond the arc and 80.5% from the free-throw line.

Chicago missed the playoffs last season. The franchise has only made the postseason once (2022) since trading Jimmy Butler to the Minnesota Timberwolves on draft night back in 2016.

A USC product, Vučević has played for the Orlando Magic and Bulls. He has career averages of 17.2 points, 10.5 rebounds and 2.9 assists.

“They’re not looking to buy him out,” one NBA executive told Sean Deveney of Athlon Sports. “If there is one thing that has been consistent about Jerry Reinsdorf over 40 years–and he is the same with the White Sox (Reinsdorf also owns MLB’s South Side team in Chicago)–it is that he does not pay players or coaches to not play or coach for him.”