Wait, Would the Chicago Bulls Really Consider Re-Signing Nikola Vucevic?

Sitting at 18-20, the Chicago Bulls find themselves swimming in similarly murky waters. They continue to look like a team on the fast track to nowhere, making a trade deadline sell-off one of the NBA's most popular talking points in the lead-up to February.

The team is in a prime position to either help facilitate other trades, take on bad money for draft compensation, or even go after a high-priced buy-low candidate. Why? Their seven expiring contracts give them significant financial flexibility. But that's not at all! Coby White and Ayo Dosunmu are two highly intriguing young guards on extremely cost-effective deals. If the Bulls can create the right bidding war, they could land themselves a very valuable package in return.

With that said, moving on from every possible trade chip isn't going to be easy. Nikola Vucevic, in particular, remains in a very precarious position. While his floor-spacing ability and rebounding could undoubtedly help a contender, his negative production defensively is likely a real concern for some. Likewise, it's not as if he has the easiest contract to absorb. His $21.5 million is the most expensive of the Bulls' expiring contracts.

So, is that to say I don't expect a single call about Vucevic by February 5? Not necessarily, but I do think actually coming to terms on a trade could prove difficult yet again. Most interested teams may not have a hard time waiting to make a run at him until the offseason, when he can be signed to a far cheaper deal.

Of course, this would be a true bummer for the Bulls' front office. Losing a player for nothing is never the ideal outcome, especially when that player has been as vital as Vucevic has been to the Bulls in recent years. But that's also a tough pill you sometimes have to swallow. The Bulls will only have themselves to blame for letting it get to that point, and they can not allow that to force a rash decision.

Alas, according to Brett Siegel of ClutchPoints, it sounds like that's exactly what could happen!

Would the Chicago Bulls Re-Sign Nikola Vucevic?

Nikola Vucevic of the Chicago Bulls — Jan 7, 2026; Detroit, Michigan, USA; Chicago Bulls center Nikola Vucevic (9) tries to drive to the basket against Detroit Pistons forward Paul Reed (7) in the second quarter at Little Caesars Arena. Mandatory Credit: Lon Horwedel-Imagn Images | Lon Horwedel-Imagn Images

While all signs have pointed toward a divorce between Nikola Vucevic and the Chicago Bulls, Brett Siegel notes that plenty of love remains:

"Chicago has some options before the trade deadline because of all the expiring money they possess. Speaking of which, Nikola Vucevic, who is on an expiring $21.4 million contract, is a player that Billy Donovan and the organization value. It wouldn’t be surprising if they held onto Vuc and looked to extend the veteran on a smaller, team-friendly contract in free agency," Siegel wrote for ClutchPoints.

The mere fact that Vucevic has been with the team and in the starting lineup up until this point does speak to how much the Bulls value him. He was Arturas Karnisovas' first big acquisition, and Billy Donovan has long praised him for his consistency and professionalism.

Nevertheless, is that reason enough to consider keeping him past this season? Even if Vucevic is prepared to sign an extremely team-friendly deal and pivot to the bench, it feels reasonable to question if keeping him around would be worth it in any way. Not only have the Bulls desperately needed someone with strong rim-protecting capabilities, but this is an organization in the thick of a youth movement. Vucevic is headed for Year 16 and will turn 36 years old in October.

We can all agree that having some veteran assistance around is never a bad thing, but Vucevic has been with the franchise for six seasons. Sometimes it's ok to turn the page. Even more importantly, if the Bulls do truly value an aging Vucevic, they should want to see him find success elsewhere.

Speaking of which, who is to say the big man would even want to return? Unless the money exceeds what other contenders are offering – and it likely shouldn't, considering where the Bulls are – Vucevic has every reason to walk out the door. He has even suggested multiple times that playing in the postseason and competing for a ring is becoming increasingly important to him. No one knows better how far away the Bulls are from that than the big man.

At the end of the day, this is precisely why I still see these two parting ways in the near future. The fit no longer makes sense for either party, particularly Vucevic's camp. If a deal fails to come to fruition by the deadline, I tend to believe the two sides will come to their senses once free agency arrives and say their goodbyes.