The Chicago Bulls have a dilemma that they’ll need to address over the next few months.
This offseason, the Bulls have been one of the most interesting teams in the league. As a team that has been stuck in the middle for quite some time, Chicago made minimal moves in the offseason, with the extension of Billy Donovan being the most notable move.
While Josh Giddey’s contract negotiations are still in the spotlight, the Bulls have another player whose contract puts them in an interesting situation. Nikola Vucevic has been in Chicago for over four seasons, but his time with the team seems likely to end at some point in the near future.
Entering the final year of his deal, the former All-Star might be more interested in playing elsewhere as his career enters its final stages. Still a productive player, the Bulls don’t appear interested in buying him out, but some other teams might need to be ready in case that changes.
As suggested by Wizards on SI’s Tyrone Montgomery, the Washington Wizards should be among those teams. As Montgomery explained, Vucevic could be a perfect fit in Washington as he adds depth, brings more veteran leadership and is a potential mentor for Alex Sarr.
All of those reasons show exactly why a team like the Wizards should be ready to pounce at Vucevic in the buyout market. However, those reasons also show why Chicago would like to get something of value in return for him.
While he might not be able to give the Bulls much anymore, he could be a significant addition for another squad, and Chicago would like to benefit from that.