By Johnny Askounis/ info@eurohoops.net
Rumors concerning potential trades or even contract extensions have accompanied Nikola Vucevic throughout his career in the NBA, from the early days at the Philadelphia 76ers to the Orlando Magic and all the way to the Chicago Bulls.
Vucevic, 32, will become an unrestricted free agent following the 2022-23 season. The Bulls are underperforming, currently sitting at 9-13, 2.5 wins outside the Play-In zone of the Eastern Conference, so trades can become a consideration heading to the deadline set on February 9. Relatively early for the Bulls to immediately examine any kind of offer but other NBA teams are monitoring the situations of Vucevic and teammates Zach LaVine and DeMar DeRozan, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski revealed in a recent appearance on NBA Countdown.
“Teams are waiting to see, will any of them be available by the trade deadline,” Wojnarowski explained the case, “Right now, this is a Chicago team that wants to make the playoffs, wants to get a healthy Lonzo Ball back. They are not ready to concede yet.”
Furthermore, ESPN’s Zach Lowe reported the Los Angeles Lakers internally discussing trading Russell Westbrook and two first-round draft picks for Vucevic and DeRozan.
“I can tell you 100% for sure that the Lakers have had internal discussions about that very possibility if it would ever come up,” he said in his podcast, “Not that they would do that. Let me be clear.”
Going through his 12th NBA campaign, the Montenegrin center is averaging 16.0 points, 11.2 rebounds, 2.0 assists, 0.7 blocks, and 0.5 steals per contest over his first 22 appearances in the 2022-23 Regular Season.
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