Earlier this week, announced that the Chicago Bulls had begun negotiating an extension with free-agent-to-be Nikola V🐓ucevic. The pertinent detail, in case you forgot, is that Vucevic and the Bulls have until June 30 to cut a deal before he hits unrestricted free agency. They can, of course, still agree to terms after that date, but there will be more competition out in the deep waters of free agency at that point, complicating matters for everyone. Needless to say, the Bulls should be particularly motivated to have it done before then.
(And that’s to ignore how painful it would be to lose Vucevic for nothing. If the team can’t find a sign-and-trade, agreeing on a multi-year deal and figuring the rest out later could make a lot of sense for both parties).
In 🐟any case, it now sounds like we have a little more clarity on exactly the kind of deal the two sides are discussing. The confirmed that negotiations are ongoing, and the framework is currently cent🐬ered around a three-year contract.
Here’s his exact wording, which I also encourage you to read in the full article .
The organization is content to hold out hope for a miraculous Lonzo Ball recovery from three surgeries on his left knee, while beginning negotiations on Nikola Vucevic’s contract extens༒ion over the last week. The Bulls are looking to lock up the big man for the next three years.
I have no inside info on this matter, but if I had to guess, I’d wager the Bulls are looking for something closer to three years, $54 million ($18 mil AAV). As for Vucevic’s camp, I’m assuming they would like something more in the three years, $66 million ($22 mil AAV). The final number likely resides somewhere in the middle, as it often does.
Now, Vucevic is going to have more leverage here, but probably not overwhelmingly so. The cap space teams aren’t all that intriguing. A reunion with Orlando might entice him a bit, but they’re headed in a very different direction and may not want to take away shots from their youngsters. The Houston Rockets sound prime to re-enter the competitive mix with a big free agency, but I’m not sure Vucevic fits their future vision.
As for the sign-and-trade candidates, it’s not hard to envision several contenders showing interest in the veteran double-double machine. The question would be more about how much they’re willing to spend to make him a piece of the puzzle. This is especially true when we consider (1) the team that acquires him would be hard-capped and (2) the new CBA will present far harsher penalties for teams that spend way over the luxury tax.
So while Vucevic should have enough suitors to put some pressure on Chicago, I can’t imagine it will be enough to force the Bulls to vastly overpay. I also think a three-year deal for Chicago would be palatable no matter which direction the franchise goes. If they want to try to stay competitive, they still have one of the better centers in the NBA. If they want to shake things up or begin a rebuild, Vucevic’s deal shouldn’t be too difficult to trade. Perhaps this is me being too optimistic, but this feels especially true when we consider Vucevic’s value could go in that situation as he plays an even bigger offensive role.
Anyway, I expect plenty of more developments on the Vucevic front in the coming weeks. Whether or not they’ll reach a deal or Vucevic will look to put some pressure on the Bulls in free agency is a fair question. But I think it’s fair to say – regardless – a new deal is looking far more likely than not.
