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The Chicago Bulls are in an extremely interesting position as a team this summer. With a combination of players in different stages of their careers, they are currently riding the fence between trying to win now and developing their young talent to construct a perennial juggernaut.
They’re spearheaded by their vets in DeMar DeRozan and Nikola Vucevic. Zach LaVine is the young star that was brought to Chicago to support. Waiting in the wings to take over are the likes of Patrick Williams, Lonzo Ball, and Ayo Dosunmu.
However, the Bulls have a problem. The mismatch of talent and experience across their roster makes free-agent and other front office decision-making even more difficult as AKME has to weigh the promise of the future with their goals today.
No one player speaks to this conundrum more than Nikola Vucevic. Vucevic, who was brought to the Bulls via trade at the all-star break in 2021, was said to be the prolific and dominant big man Zach LaVine has never had in Chicago.
Coming off back-to-back all-star seasons, he was a sure-fire member of the big 3 and a player that kicked off the process for Chicago to land Lonzo Ball and DeMar DeRozan.
Unfortunately, and by his own admission, Vucevic did not play up to his usual standard in 2021-22. While he still averaged around 17 points per game and pulled down double-digit rebounds, he was a liability from three-point range.
It was a shot that opponents began willingly giving up to him as the Bulls began their tumultuous fall down the Eastern Conference standings in March.
He additionally isn’t the greatest defensively but gets way too much criticism for his play on that end of the floor when a good portion of it should be directed to those on the perimeter letting themselves get beat consistently.
While he did bounce back in the playoffs with a decent showing against Milwaukee, where the Bulls go from here and how they see Vucevic’s role going forward are major unknowns especially as he is set to enter a contract year in 2022-23.
Nikola Vucevic’s future role for the Chicago Bulls in 2022-23 is unknown.
While Vucevic is only 31 and likely has a couple of years of his prime left, one role I could see him thriving in and helping the Bulls be even better is in an ‘Al Horford’ type role.
