<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/chicago-bulls/bulls-news-matas-buzelis-reminds-nikola-vucevic-nba-greats');   ga('set', 'title', 'Why Bulls’ Matas Buzelis reminds Nikola Vucevic of NBA greats');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Matas-Buzelis.jpg"><figcaption>Matt Marton-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><h1>Why Bulls’ Matas Buzelis reminds Nikola Vucevic of NBA greats</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-10-22T22:06:47-07:00">October 22nd, 10:06pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-10-22T22:06:47-07:00">October 22nd, 10:06pm</time><address><a>Troy Finnegan</a>Troy Finnegan is a Senior Editor, NFL and NCAA Sports Lead at ClutchPoints. He graduated from the University of Colorado Boulder in 2023 with a degree in journalism and minors in communications and sports media, as well as a critical sports studies certificate. He has had a passion for sports his entire life, and enjoys covering and writing about all sports.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Chicago Bulls</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>The Chicago Bulls are in a rebuilding phase in 2025-26, but that didn’t stop them from getting in the win column on opening night. In front of a packed crowd at the United Center, the Bulls picked up a <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/chicago-bulls/bulls-news-ayo-dosumnnu-patrick-williams-season-opener">115-111 win over the Detroit Pistons</a> to get going in the right direction this season.</p><p>Nikola Vucevic starred for the Bulls, finishing with 28 points and 14 rebounds to lead all scorers. However, he got plenty of help from his second-year teammate Matas Buzelis, who racked up 21 points and six boards in the win. After the game, Vucevic gave Buzelis a strong endorsement and claimed he <a href="https://x.com/CodyWesterlund/status/1981206810804834432" rel="noopener">reminds him of some of the greats</a>, via Cody Westerlund of 670 The Score.</p><p>“What I really like about him is he has a little bit of cockiness in him, but not in a bad way,” Vucevic said. “He just has belief, which all the great ones do have. Obviously, he still has to continue to work, but I think he’s taken huge steps from last season.”</p><p><a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba-editorials/matas-buzelis-bulls-breakout-coby-white-injury">Buzelis has a versatile skillset and a lot of potential</a> after the Bulls took him in the first round of the 2024 NBA Draft, so it’s good to see him get off to a good start this season. If he can emerge as a true franchise centerpiece for this Bulls squad moving forward, this season can be viewed as a success no matter what the final win-loss record ends up being.</p><p>However, after this showing in the first game of the year against a team that went to the playoffs last season, the Bulls will have their eyes on a playoff berth this year. They have other promising young pieces around Buzelis, and they <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/chicago-bulls/bulls-news-coby-white-will-miss-start-of-season-with-calf-injury">played without point guard Coby White</a> on Wednesday night as he works his way back from a calf injury.</p><p>On top of that, Vucevic can still carry the load offensively at times with his ability to score at all three levels of the floor. If Buzelis can step up as another go-to guy that Chicago can rely on each and every night, this could be a sneaky competitive team in the Eastern Conference.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Why Bulls’ Matas Buzelis reminds Nikola Vucevic of NBA greats

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba-editorials/nikola-vucevic-bulls-unique-gunslinger');   ga('set', 'title', 'Why Nikola Vucevic is still Bulls’ unique gunslinger');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Oct-22-2025-Chicago-Illinois-USA-Detroit-Pistons-forward-Isaiah-Stewart-28-fouls-Chicago-Bulls-center-Nikola-Vucevic-9-during-the-first-half-at-United-Center-1.jpg"><figcaption>Mandatory Credit: Matt Marton-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><h1>Why Nikola Vucevic is still Bulls’ unique gunslinger</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-10-22T20:19:19-07:00">October 22nd, 8:19pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-10-22T20:19:19-07:00">October 22nd, 8:19pm</time><address><a>Zachary Draves</a>Zachary Draves is a sportswriter and broadcaster based in the Quad Cities of Illinois and Iowa. Zachary covers a variety of different sports as well as sports history, sport and society, and sport and culture. He is also a professor of sociology.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Chicago Bulls</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>For over a decade, Nikola Vucevic has been an unmistakable presence in the NBA, first with the Orlando Magic and more recently with the Chicago Bulls. Additionally, <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/chicago-bulls/eurobasket-news-nikola-vucevic-retirement-announcement" rel="noopener">he gave it his all</a> on the international front during tournaments such as Eurobasket for Montenegro. </p><p>Altogether, he has demonstrated a trifecta of efficiency, poise, and versatility. All of which was on full display on Wednesday during the Bulls’ season opener against the Detroit Pistons. Essentially, Vucevic didn’t skip a beat from start to finish. Altogether, he finished with a double-double that included 28 points and 14 rebounds. Plus, he added two assists and was a perfect 2-for-2 from the free throw line. </p><p>In all, Vucevic was 11-for-18 (62%) from the field.</p><p>Certainly not to be overlooked, Vucevic made four three-pointers as the Bulls went on to win in thrilling fashion 115-11. It also helped that Vucevic was on the floor to make some big shots down the stretch. The Pistons came back from 19 points down to bring it within single digits in the fourth quarter. </p><p>Nevertheless, Vuceivc’s performance shows that the 34-year-old isn’t slowing down anytime soon. That <a href="https://twitter.com/DravesZachary/status/1981198039462170948" rel="noopener">doesn’t go unoticed</a> from head coach Billy Donovan. </p><p>“Vooch does an unbelivable job professionally taking care of himself getting ready to turn 35,” Donovan said.</p><figure class="op-interactive"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">Coach Billy Donovan on Nikola Vucevics amazing season opening performance.</p><p>“Vooch does an unbelievable job professionally taking care of himself getting ready to turn 35” <a href="https://t.co/1DGiUy4RRY">pic.twitter.com/1DGiUy4RRY</a></p><p>— Zachary Draves (@DravesZachary) <a href="https://twitter.com/DravesZachary/status/1981198039462170948?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 23, 2025</a></p></blockquote><p><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p></figure><p>During the Bulls’ Media Day in September, Vucevic still <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/chicago-bulls/bulls-news-nikola-vucevic-young-mans-spirit-future" rel="noopener">maintained a strong love and passion</a> for the game. All the while, not letting his age and natural limitations that come with that define him. </p><p>Additionally, it is crunch time for Vucevic. Currently, he is in the final year of his <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/chicago-bulls/bulls-news-nikola-vucevic-agrees-3-year-60-million-contract-extension">three-year $60 million contract</a>, which he signed in 2023. Additionally, there are rumors that the Bulls are <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/chicago-bulls/bulls-rumors-insider-hard-nikola-vucevic-trade-prediction">considering trading him</a>. Rumors that <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/chicago-bulls/bulls-news-nikola-vucevic-calls-out-nonsense-rumors">Vucevic has emphatically refuted</a>. Recently, a report circulated that the Bulls were looking to <a href="https://www.sportingnews.com/us/nba/chicago-bulls/news/bulls-predicted-trade-nikola-vucevic-julian-phillips-133-million-shot-blocking-lob-threat/a1fb44491de1d5cb26cf9ea4?utm_source=yahoo&amp;utm_medium=referral&amp;utm_campaign=appeared_on" rel="noopener">negotiate a trade</a> with the Utah Jazz, per TJ Morin of The Sporting News. In return, Chicago would receive Julian Phillips and Walker Kessler. </p><p>With all that is on the table, Chicago should savor each moment with the one they call “Vooch”. </p><h2><b>The Bulls are lucky to have Nikola Vucevic while they still have him</b>.</h2><p>Nobody can deny that for a team of youngsters, it is good to have someone of the veteran pedigree that Vucevic possesses. Overall, he is the type of player to be counted on to set the example of what it means to be a complete player. He is an efficient scorer and playmaker, and can secure double-doubles on a routine basis. </p><p>Altogether, Vucevic can score from all spots on the floor, not just in the paint. He also has a really well-executed mid-range jumper and can shoot from beyond the arc when needed. Plus, he has excellent vision on the floor and can create opportunities for his teammates to score, particularly when finding the open man as he drives the defense up to him. </p><p>For seven consecutive seasons, he has averaged a double-double in scoring and rebounding. Throughout his time with the Bulls, that has been the case. All the while, Vucevic has become a fan favorite in Chicago, hence his nickname. Every time he gets introduced and/or scores, the loud sound of “Vooooch” reverberates through the United Center. </p><p>Then there he is, to keep the team together and provide the young guys with a role model to follow.</p><p>At this point, anything is possible. The good thing is that the season just started, and the best approach is to take one game at a time. Or the case of “Vooch”, play every game as if it were his last.  </p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Why Nikola Vucevic is still Bulls’ unique gunslinger

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/chicago-bulls/bulls-news-chicago-trade-nikola-vucevic-replacement');   ga('set', 'title', 'Bulls urged to trade for $97 million Nikola Vucevic replacement');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Bulls-center-Nikola-Vucevic-with-the-Heat-in-the-background.jpg"><figcaption>Apr 9, 2025; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Chicago Bulls center Nikola Vucevic (9) reacts after making a three point basket against the Miami Heat during the second half at United Center. Mandatory Credit: David Banks-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><h1>Bulls urged to trade for $97 million Nikola Vucevic replacement</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-10-07T15:54:26-07:00">October 7th, 3:54pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-10-07T15:54:26-07:00">October 7th, 3:54pm</time><address><a>Zachary Draves</a>Zachary Draves is a sportswriter and broadcaster based in the Quad Cities of Illinois and Iowa. Zachary covers a variety of different sports as well as sports history, sport and society, and sport and culture. He is also a professor of sociology.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Chicago Bulls</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>It remains up in the air as to what Chicago Bulls center Nikola Vucevic will end up. Vucevic, 34, <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/chicago-bulls/eurobasket-news-nikola-vucevic-retirement-announcement" rel="noopener">retired from the Eurobasket tournament</a>, but is entering his 15th season in the NBA. </p><p>Additionally, rumors persist that <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/chicago-bulls/bulls-rumors-insider-hard-nikola-vucevic-trade-prediction">Vucevic may be traded away</a> to another team. On Tuesday, just before the Bulls take on the Cavaliers to kick off the preseason, a name was <a href="https://bleacherreport.com/articles/25254953-1-ambitious-trade-target-every-team-during-2025-26-nba-season" rel="noopener">floated around</a> as a potential replacement, per Greg Swartz of Bleacher Report. That name was 26-year-old Nic Claxton of the Brooklyn Nets. </p><p>In July 2024, <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/brooklyn-nets/why-nic-claxtons-97m-contract-details-big-win-nets" rel="noopener">Claxton signed a four-year $97 million dea</a>l with the Nets. Currently, he has three years and $69.5 million left on his contract. Additionally, the Nets are in a state of rebuilding, and the deal centered on Claxton as the player to build the team around. </p><p>Meanwhile, Vucevic is embarking on the final year of his three-year $60 million deal with the Bulls. Afterward, he is slated to become an unrestricted free agent. Additionally, the Bulls aim to build upon their younger core for the future. </p><p>Last year, Vucevic ended the season averaging 18.5 points, 10.1 rebounds, and 3.5 assists. At the same time, Claxton averaged 11.6 points and 8.9 rebounds. </p><p>Vucevic ended the season shooting 53% from the field, and Claxton shot 60% from the field. </p><h2><b>Could the Bulls actually make this happen?</b></h2><p>With all the particulars being examined, Chicago could execute on this trade if it really wants to. From a playing perspective, Claxton is a strong defender and can provide an advantage in the area that the Bulls need to strengthen. </p><p>Plus, he is younger and entering the prime of his career. Additionally, the deal <a href="https://www.si.com/nba/bulls/news/bulls-could-target-97-million-star-as-potential-nikola-vucevic-replacement#:~:text=pic.twitter.com/CCrCC1pirS,over%20the%202022%2D24%20seasons." rel="noopener">would comply with</a> the NBA’s salary matching rules. </p><p>However, there are some challenges. Because Vucevic is in the final year of his contract, trading him <a href="https://sports.yahoo.com/article/bulls-rumors-bulls-slapped-harsh-152917156.html#:~:text=However%2C%20trading%20Vucevic%20and%20his,toward%20a%20buyout%20by%20midseason." rel="noopener">would be very difficult</a>. Additionally, Vucevic is more of an offensive weapon, whereas Claxton is more defensively oriented. The question will come down to which direction they want to go in. </p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Bulls urged to trade for $97 million Nikola Vucevic replacement

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/chicago-bulls/bulls-news-nikola-vucevic-young-mans-spirit-future');   ga('set', 'title', 'Bulls veteran Nikola Vucevic has a young man’s spirit with his future uncertain');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Bulls-center-Nikola-Vucevic-ii.jpg"><figcaption>David Banks-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><h1>Bulls veteran Nikola Vucevic has a young man’s spirit with his future uncertain</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-10-04T10:03:28-07:00">October 4th, 10:03am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-10-04T10:03:28-07:00">October 4th, 10:03am</time><address><a>Zachary Draves</a>Zachary Draves is a sportswriter and broadcaster based in the Quad Cities of Illinois and Iowa. Zachary covers a variety of different sports as well as sports history, sport and society, and sport and culture. He is also a professor of sociology.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Chicago Bulls</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>A month ago, Chicago Bulls center Nikola Vucevic <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/chicago-bulls/eurobasket-news-nikola-vucevic-retirement-announcement">decided to retire from the Eurobasket tournament</a>. This time around, he is in the final year of his three-year $60 million contract with the Bulls.</p><p>As a result, his future in basketball remains unknown. Vucevic, 34, <a href="https://chicago.suntimes.com/bulls/2025/10/03/bad-news-vooch-critics-bulls-nikola-vucevic-feeling-young" rel="noopener">ultimately said</a> the decision to step away from international basketball was a personal one, per Joe Cowley of the Chicago Sun-Times.</p><p>‘‘The biggest impact on that was my family, my kids, my wife,’’ Vucevic said. ‘‘It takes a lot out of my summers. You’ve got training camp for a month, the competition, the preparation for it, so I just felt like it was the right moment to do it. I wanted to finish my national-team competition on a high. That was it.’’</p><p>During the Bulls Media Day on Monday, Vucevic maintained ‘I still feel very young, actually”. Hinting that he isn’t done yet.</p><p>All the while, the Bulls’ veteran center is being<a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/chicago-bulls/bulls-news-nikola-vucevic-calls-out-nonsense-rumors"> swarmed by rumors of a possible trade</a>. After Vucevic’s performance in the final EuroBasket, Chicago coach Billy Donovan said that He remains a consistent presence and has no real concerns about his readiness.</p><p>‘‘He actually played for the national team, and I think he was one of the leaders during the tournament in terms of minutes played,’’ Donovan said. ‘‘I know he led Montenegro in minutes played, so he showed the propensity and endurance to do that. I think the other thing is — and credit to him because I’ve always talked to him about this — he keeps himself in great shape, he takes care of his body.”</p><p>‘‘I’m not going into the season saying, ‘Hey, we’ve got to drop Vooch down to here [in playing time].’ What we’ve got to be able to do is give every player the opportunity. I think Vooch has proven over his career that he’s come [into a season] ready.’’</p><p>Last season, Vucevic averaged 18.5 points, 10.1 rebounds, and 3.5 assists per game. He also played in 73 games and shot 50% from the field.</p><h2><b>What does the future hold for the Bulls’ remaining veteran?</b></h2><p>After the conclusion of this season, Vucevic next phase is up in the air. Given that the Bulls are looking to developing its younger players, they will see how Vucevic is able to maintain the same level of consistency.</p><p>Nevertheless, Vucevic said that he has been in contact with management and is prepared for whatever comes next.</p><p>‘‘I had good communication with the front office throughout the summer,’’ Vucevic said. ‘‘As you guys all know, there were many rumors, different kinds. I always say it’s part of the job I’m in, we’re all in, and it comes with the territory. If a trade would have happened, it would have happened. It didn’t, and I’m glad to be here.”</p><p>‘‘I didn’t pay too much attention. Maybe before the draft [in June] because that’s when I thought maybe something could happen, but overall I tried to focus on the offseason, my family and the international stuff.</p><p>‘‘It’s something that’s out of my control, so I didn’t pay attention to it too much.’’</p><p>Vucevic has played 14 years in the NBA. Since 2011, he has played for the Philadelphia 76ers and the Orlando Magic. He has been with Chicago since 2020.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Bulls veteran Nikola Vucevic has a young man’s spirit with his future uncertain

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/chicago-bulls/bulls-rumors-insider-hard-nikola-vucevic-trade-prediction');   ga('set', 'title', 'Bulls rumors: Insider makes ‘hard’ Nikola Vucevic trade prediction');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Vucevic-shoots.jpg"><figcaption>Kyle Ross-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><h1>Bulls rumors: Insider makes ‘hard’ Nikola Vucevic trade prediction</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-09-24T08:45:38-07:00">September 24th, 8:45am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-09-24T08:45:38-07:00">September 24th, 8:45am</time><address><a>Jackson Stone</a>Jackson Stone is a Mercer University alum from Atlanta who graduated with a BA in communications. A lifelong sports lover, Jackson is a die-hard fan of all Atlanta teams. He joined ClutchPoints in 2023.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Chicago Bulls</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>The Chicago Bulls are less than a month away from kicking off their 2025-26 season against the Detroit Pistons. The<a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/chicago-bulls/3-chicago-bulls-trade-targets-keep-eye-2025-26-nba-season"> Bulls didn’t have</a> a crazy eventful offseason, recently <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/chicago-bulls/josh-giddey-bulls-grades-100-million-contract-extension">re-signing guard Josh Giddey</a> but not doing much else to change the team from last year.</p><p>One player who has survived trade rumors for years now is big man Nikola Vucevic. Recently, former Bulls player and current commentator Stacey King had insider KC Johnson of the Chicago Sports Network on his Gimme Da Hot Sauce podcast to <a href="https://www.hoopshype.com/story/sports/nba/rumors/2025/09/24/kc-johnson-so-to-me-vooch-is-you-never-have-to-worry/86323469007/" rel="noopener">relay why he thinks</a> a Vucevic trade is unlikely, at least in the short term.</p><p>“So to me, Vooch is—you never have to worry about him. He is the ultimate professional and really, to me, can fit in any style of play because he’s just so skilled and so smart,” said Johnson, per Hoopshype. “But yeah, I personally think it’s going to be hard for them to trade him. I mean, because he’s an expiring contract now—and what team is going to give up a lot, when they can probably sign him for pretty cheap on the open market next season, as a veteran piece for a winning team?”</p><p>However, Johnson clarified that he doesn’t anticipate Vucevic staying a Bulls player forever.</p><p>“So, I think Vooch will get his wish eventually. I just don’t think it’ll happen this year. I think in the 2026–2027 season, you’ll see him sign in unrestricted free agency—to a smaller contract—for a championship-contending team. Because look: he can help a winning team. He can help any team. He’s a very skilled player. Very skilled player,” he said.</p><h2>An awkward fit for the Bulls</h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Vucevic-shoots.jpg"><figcaption>Kyle Ross-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>A team with players like Josh Giddey, Coby White, and Kevin Huerter in the lineup needs all the defensive help it can get, and Vucevic is not exactly an anchor on that end of the floor.</p><p>However, as King mentioned, he is a solid veteran with an elite offensive skillset who could theoretically help many contending teams at some point down the line.</p><p>In any case, the Bulls are set to open up their 2025-26 season at home against the Detroit Pistons on October 22.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Bulls rumors: Insider makes ‘hard’ Nikola Vucevic trade prediction

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