NBA Exec Reveals Why Chicago Bulls Won’t Agree to Buyout With Nikola Vučević
Chicago Bulls center Nikola Vučević has one year left on his contract. The two-time NBA All-Star will make $21.4 million next season in the final year of his deal and is better suited to play for a contender.
However, Vučević doesn’t have a trade market, according to NBA insider Jake Fischer of Bleacher Report.
“We’ve been talking about how there hasn’t been much of a market for Nikola Vučević all along, dating back to last trade deadline in February,” Fischer said. “I think at this juncture, we’re probably more likely to see a Nikola Vučević buyout midseason than we are to see a trade, depending on how the market unfolds, depending on how injuries develop. There really hasn’t been much of a Nikola Vučević trade market in a while.”
After Fischer’s report went viral, NBA fans speculated that the Bulls and Vučević would agree to a buyout.
However, an NBA exec revealed to Sean Deveney of Athlon Sports why that won’t happen.
“They’re not looking to buy him out,” one NBA executive said. “If there is one thing that has been consistent about Jerry Reinsdorf over 40 years–and he is the same with the White Sox (Reinsdorf also owns MLB’s South Side team in Chicago)–it is that he does not pay players or coaches to not play or coach for him.”
Vučević played in 73 games for the Bulls last season. He averaged 18.5 points, 10.1 rebounds and 3.5 assists while shooting 53.0% from the field, 40.2% from beyond the arc and 80.5% from the free-throw line.
The Bulls missed the postseason again last season. They have only made the playoffs once (2022) since trading Jimmy Butler to the Minnesota Timberwolves in 2016.
A USC product, Vučević has played for the Orlando Magic and Bulls. He has career averages of 17.2 points, 10.5 rebounds and 2.9 assists.
Vučević doesn’t have a no-trade clause in his contract, so he can’t force his way out of Chicago.
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